WARNING – OotP spoilers!

The Legacy of the Founders :: By: JoC aka JkReviewer

::

Chapter I - The Orb of Afterlife

As he made his way down a somehow familiar street, Harry couldn't help wondering where he was. He had a strange feeling that he had been here before, but everything was so blurry. Maybe he had forgotten to wear his glasses today.

Almost poking himself in the eye, Harry quickly came to the conclusion that he had indeed forgotten them – but where? Everything seemed so slow moving and silent.

Harry considered, for a brief second the possibility, that someone had slipped some kind of dizzying potion in his juicy when he ate breakfast – but come to think of it he could even remembering eating anything this morning, or even being at the Dursley's breakfast table. This was getting very strange indeed.

"Harry - over here!" he heard a voice coming from one of the houses along the street. Harry walked closer. It seemed to be some kind of a shop.

"Come on Harry! Why are you staring around like a lost puppy?" the voice said. It sort of reminded Harry of Ron's voice but it sounded too high pinched to be a boy's voice.

Harry took a step inside the shop. It was apparently a Muggle clothes store. What would Ron be doing in a place like this? Harry tried focusing his view, but without his glasses in proved very difficult. All he could make out was something that looked like a… dress?!

"Harry over here…" the high-Ron-like voice said. Harry had no choice but to follow the sound. Dodging various other costumers, Harry finally made his way to the back of the store, where he clearly – despite his bad vision – recognized Ron's red hair, even though he couldn't focus hard enough to see anything else in detail.

"Ron… what is this place, where are we?" Harry asked wondering.

Ron made no sign of having heard a word Harry said, continued humming a weird tune. Suddenly he turned around staring intensely at Harry like he had never seen him before.

"Why aren't you wearing your glasses Harry?" Ron said quickly, before he started humming again, moving slowly from side to side.

Harry stared dumbfounded at Ron. What was going on here? "Here they are silly!" Ron pulled something out of one of his pockets and placed it hard on Harry's nose. Slowly Harry regained his vision.

"Thanks Ron…" Harry sighed. "Where are we? And how did you get my glasses?" Harry stared around the store puzzled.

"This looks like a muggle dress shop… why…"

Harry suddenly forgot all about the why's and the where's. He stared at Ron with big eyes of disbelief. "RON??? WHY ARE YOU WEARING A PINK DRESS???!"

Harry awoke sweating like never before. He smiled to himself. Thank god that he didn't had divination anymore. Just thinking about dream analysing this one with Ron in divination would be worse than facing 3 full-grown dragons.

In a way, Harry was wondering what had made him have a dream that strange – but on the other hand he was happy, that he might finally had gotten rid of the nightmare, that had kept him awake, until he was overcome with tiredness, every night during the last three weeks. Not wanting to relive the painful experience that was Sirius' demise, Harry had kept himself awake by drinking loads of caffeine-the every evening when he could get away with it.

It was really getting to his nerves, and he was beginning to fear that any more of these sleepless nights would end in unwanted spells flying everywhere. That's why he had for once just laid down on his bed, to tired to even take of his clothes.

Sleep had claimed him fast and he had hoped to have a normal dreamless sleep for once. Harry thoughts went back to the dream. He laughed nervously to himself. Maybe he was going crazy from not sleeping enough. Yes that had to be it.

The thought of Ron in a pink dress could still send cold shivers through his body thirty minutes later. Unable to fall asleep once more, and not really wanting too either made Harry sit up and stare out the window.

It was a cloudless night tonight, thousands of stars flickering all of the midnight sky. Harry's eyes fell on the brightest star of them all and tears where slowly forming in the corner of his eyes.

"Sirius…" he whispered to himself. He just missed him so much. At that moment, Harry thought he had lost everything he had ever loved and cared about.

His mom, his dad, his godfather… Of course this wasn't true, he still had Hermione and the Weasleys. Although they were like family to him, it just wasn't the same. Somehow he felt that he missed something… besides his parents and Sirius – but at the moment he could exactly figure out what it was.

Suddenly a low hooting was heard from outside Harry's window. He rushed out of bed, very silently and opened the window without a sound. Harry was quite amused seeing how he could jump out of bed, sprint to the window and open it without given of any sound. He snorted, thinking that this was perhaps the only "useful" thing he had ever learned from being here at the Dursleys.

Harry had forgotten all about the owls, being totally lost in his own thoughts and turned now to see what Hedwig had brought him. Harry almost fell out through the open window in shock, as he say not Hedwig, but five other owls instead, sitting quietly everywhere in his room.

"I don't know that many people," he thought to himself. "And why are they owling me now?" Harry suddenly realized something. The lack of sleep had somehow thrown his internal calendar totally out of focus. He looked at the clock by the bed: 01:27… It was his birthday today!

If something could cheer Harry up, it was realizing that he had been 16 years old for almost 1½ hour… Somehow it made him fell all grown up!

"Sixteen mate, halfway through your teenage years. Your getting old…" he said to himself with a very important voice.

Harry turned to face the owls once again, wondering. "Hmm… I still don't know why you are here," he said to one of the owls he didn't recognize almost expecting an illuminating answer.

"Only one way to find out I guess," he muttered while slowly walking over to the owl closest to him. It was Pig, Ron's owl. It hooted happily as he approached it – being chosen to be the first he would deal with, must have made it fell important, Harry thought grinning at the tiny owl. He untied the rather small package and the card attached.

Hi Harry

First of all – HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope you like your present; somehow I know you will find it useful in those lonely hours in your room. Too bad you couldn't come with us to Grimmauld place!

I hope the threat Moody gave your uncle before we left you, still holds him from treating you too bad – otherwise don't hesitate to write me about it. Fred and George have come up with a brand new prank item – the retaliation whistle: Whenever someone has done something to you, like insulted you or hit you, just blow the whistle and they will get what they deserve. I can't wait to try this one on Malfoy…

Anyway Harry, have a nice birthday. See you soon

Ron

PS: Mom and the others says "happy birthday" too…

The Weasleys were the nicest family Harry had ever met, and they wanted him nothing but good. His mood seemed to have risen a lot while he was reading the letter. A smile spread across Harry's face as he thought of Malfoy insulting Ron and then being hit all over with sticky green goo.

Harry had forgotten all about the actual present, but was soon brought back to reality when he heard a sort of buzzing noise from the package.

Harry opened it carefully – past experiences with murderous books and the likes, still very clear in his mind – and looked inside. Something came soaring out past him, then slowing down and stopping in mid air.

It seemed to be a smaller version of the golden snitch! (Not that it itself was very big) A small card fell out of the box as Harry by accident turned it upside down. He caught it quickly – using the great reflexes that had made him such a good seeker.

This is a training snitch. I does as you commands, and it has a range of 15 metres. You can tell it to be slow, fast, evasive – whatever you like. Hope you like it.

Ron

An even wider grin, now found it's way to Harry's mouth. This was indeed a great present. He was just about to give it orders, when he thought better of it, deciding that the noise it made could wake up his uncle and aunt. "We'll play tomorrow," he said to the snitch – wondering how weird it seemed to be talking to a flying gold ball. Surprisingly it understood him, and put itself back in the box.

Harry smiled to himself as we went over to an unknown owl. He untangled the brown paper package hold tightly in the claws of the rather large deep brown owl. Somehow it seemed intimidating to him – strange. On the outside of the paper, Hermione had written:

Hi Harry

Happy birthday! I really sorry that you package look like a lunch bag, but I have been so tied up with various things. I hope you like this book; I thought I was something that would really appeal to you.

I have spent some time in the burrow over the summer (the next three lines where inked out and totally unreadable) I thought you would be there but then I remembered that you couldn't come – how silly of me. Enjoy your presents and your birthday.

Hermione

Somehow Harry felt that these three inked out lines, was something Hermione wanted to tell him but then thought better of it. Harry shrugged. Whatever it was she would properly tell him one day soon anyway – they were friends right?

Harry began unwrapping the brown package – if it was a book it wasn't a very big one. Harry was thankful for that – perhaps Hermione wanted him to tell, what I was about when they met. Maybe it was a Quiddith book, he thought excitedly. His smile face turned into a wondering stare, as he saw neither title nor an authors name on the front. He opened the book and examined every page – blanks. Maybe it was like Tom Riddle's diary, you had to write something to make anything appear. Just as he was reaching for his quill, he felt warmth spreading through the hand holding the book. For a brief second Harry wondered whether or not Hermione would send him anything dangerous – but then he said that the front page had changed.

The words: Harry Potter's personal magic notes book had appeared, written with beautiful golden letters.

Underneath a message appeared:

Funny book, isn't it Harry. If you haven't figured out what it does, I'll let you in on a secret: This is just like that Skeeter woman's auto quill, except it remembers and writes down spells for you when you use them. That means that at the end of this year, when you've had it for a long time and used loads of spells or even just remembered seeing spells, it will be full of detailed drawings and descriptions on how to do the spells and stuff. Since I know how bad you and Ron are at studying I hope this will help you…

Hermione

Harry felt both happy and somewhat insulted by Hermione's message. Sure this book would come in handy, but what was that about his studying methods? He smiled to himself – knowing that she properly just acted on past knowledge, about how he and Ron usually avoided studying 4 months ahead of exams, like she did!

"Thanks Ron, Hermione…" he whispered to the presents.

After these two great presents Harry couldn't wait to get his hands on the next one, huge crate like one. He looked at the two owls holding the crate. They looked very proud almost arrogantly at him. Fastened to the top of the "package" was another letter. Harry suspected it was from Grimmauld place and the order, since it didn't have any outer indications to whom it was addressed. This was always the case with owls, which Moody could get his suspicious eye on.

Lucky the owls found him then, he thought. Him opened it very slowly, expecting it too blow up in his face. You never knew what was going to happen, with Moody in charge of owl security. Nothing did happen though and Harry started reading.

Hi Harry

"Happy Birthday!" from all of us in Grimmauld place. You are probably wondering what's in the large "crate". Actually you will be surprised to know that this is all the mail, which has been sent to you over the summer from someone outside the Order. Moody has thrown a special confusion charm on your uncle's house making every owl – he doesn't "know" fly of to a safe drop-off spot, where they delivers the mail to us. (Safety precautions!) Moody then used hundreds of different spells to make sure that it isn't a mail bomb, or anything like that, but he never gets around to sending it to you when he's done. So know, I thought when it's your birthday and all you might want to read what all these people have to say.

I smuggled some chocolate frogs into the bottom of the crate without Moody knowing, sorry I can't give you a real birthday present but I hope you like it anyway. Dumbledore's letter might make you think that I did… Hmm. Tonks wishes you a happy birthday too and says you'll meet her soon – my lips are sealed!

Remus Lupin

Harry reread the letter 3 times, still wondering about what Lupin meant by comments like: "she'll see you soon…" , " all the mail that have been sent to you…" and "Dumbledore's letter might make you think otherwise…"

Feeling that his evening was full of surprises and strange events, he somehow suspected he wasn't through it yet. He opened the crate, and found fifty, maybe more letters in all colours and sizes scattered all over.

He picked up a big blue one and opened it fast; curious as to what this unknown writer had to say to him.

To Harry Potter

I would like to tell you that I have always believed you and that the recent event just proves you right. The ministry are fools for not trusting you – and im glad that Dumbledore has always been behind you on this!

Ms. Ann Huntington

Harry looked at the letter, with equal amounts of surprise and relief. He had expected some kind of telling of for lying again, but it seemed people believed him and Dumbledore this time. Harry thought a second about the true power of the press, and was disgusted knowing how many minds you could turn with one article – before continuing to open the letters.

They all continued along the same line as the first, some even offering him excuses for not believing him until recently. Harry was getting quite tired reading the same, over and over again until he came upon a bright pink envelope. It had a scent of wild flowers…

Harry opened it quick and pulled out a neatly handwritten letters. Some places looked stained as if water had been dropped on the letter before it was send!

Hi Harry

I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about everything that happened between us at the end of the year, and I hope we can at least be friends without arguing when school starts again. I don't know if this reaches you before your birthday or not. One of my friends, whose mother has a friend, that knew Alastor Moody along time ago said that he is really paranoid about letters from people he doesn't know. But if it does reach you in time: "Happy Birthday"!

Hope you are well,

Cho Chang

PS: I've put a charm on the letter so that every time you smell it you will be refreshed! Hope you like it…

Somehow Harry knew that he should still be mad at Cho for sticking up to her friend Marietta last year, but after reading this letter – he just couldn't put on a sour face. "Thanks Cho…" he muttered. "Finally I can let of that awful the!" He smiled to himself, while trying to control a weird pull in his stomach. He disregarded it as a side effect of the flower scent charm, but he was extra careful putting the letter down on the table by his bed.

"One owl left!" he thought to himself as he walked closer to the last owl with a package.

Hi Harry

Although I now you might still be angry with me for last year, about Occlumency lessons - I want you to accept my warmest "Happy Birthday" blessings. Hagrid wishes you a joyful day as well, but he is unable to write himself, do to some rather unpleasant cuts on both of his arms.

Harry laughed. If knew anything about Hagrid it was that he didn't get those cuts by falling down the stairs. A 3 head chimera was more likely. Harry continued reading.

 I have had a talk with Remus about your grief, and he suggested a very rare possibility to maybe lift your spirits a little. I must say I have had some concerns about given you this, but in the end I decided that you could have it now. You could say I have learned from my mistakes…

Please accept this present, but I must warn you. It is very rare and therefore much wanted – especially by ministry authorities and even Dark Arts followers! Take good care of it!

Yours truly,

Albus Dumbledore

Harry looked at the small sphere formed package. What was this that was so important? His curiosity got the better of him and he tore the packaging of faster than he meant to.

The small Orb was a deep sort of black that seemed to go on forever. Suddenly it glowed a bit and small sparks, began forming words in the air above it.

This is the Orb of Afterlife. It might not seem very powerful but the gift it possesses, might help you through the coming time. Once a month when the orb is fully recharged you can activate it by touching it gently with the palm of your hand.

Once activated it provides a two-way communication with anyone trapped in what is in general terms known as limbo - The walkway between life and death!

This is where Sirius is now after passing through the veil, which means that at the first day of every month you'll have a chance to talk to him through this.

You know how the mirror of Erised works on people – so please don't make this thing control you life. It is the most powerful of magic so be careful. After you have activated the Orb it works for fifteen minutes before having to rest until next month.

I hope this helps easy your pain…

Harry couldn't remember much after this only that he fell asleep with the Orb tightly held in his hands, with the happiest face he had worn for years spread across his face!

* * * * * *

Disclaimer: Although I do own all the Harry Potter books, I don't own any thing related to the Potter-universe that you can recognize! It all belongs to J.K.Rowling & Co.

After having written this story, I took some time to read other people's stories and found one called "Beyond the Veil" that had almost the exact same idea about Sirius… Strange how minds work the same! :D

Well how do you like it – a bit long for a first chapter isn't it? This is my first fanfic, so any comments would be greatly appreciated. I will update as soon as possible which I hope is tomorrow! :)

I consider my self very good at English but still it isn't my firs language. Although I sometimes think in English as well hehe!

Any criticism or comment you might have, about the story, the grammar, my weird sense of humour – I would be happy to hear it!