Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling. If I were, would I be sending this to my publisher—not posting it online. Duh people?
I'm dedicating this story to my friends Julie and Cristina—they're constantly bugging me to post more and to do better. They're my idea makers and are responsible for a lot of the plot. All my thanks to them. *Claps hands* Now on with the story…
*************************
"Leva velamen," the old lady said. "Leva velamen."
The old lady was sitting on a rock in the middle of a forest. She had blond, moonbeam, waist-length hair and piercing blue eyes. He felt like he was being cut into, staring into those eyes. She had to be at least 80 years old, but the thing with the lady was that sometimes she looked old, and then she.…transformed young. She could gradually change in front of your eyes back to old, and you would only notice if you were looking hard, like he was.
He could tell the message was important. He saw it in those eyes. He could tell that if he forgot this, there would be a huge price to pay. He could feel himself being pulled away from the old lady and her rock.
"Leva velamen," she whispered again. "LEVA VELA—"
And with that, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, woke up.
* * * * * * *
Harry Potter looked out his window, thinking about the old lady. He had seen her in his dreams since he came back to the Dursleys', two and a half weeks ago. He only had one adult to turn on now, ever since Sirius died, Remus, and he didn't want to bother him. Remus had to worry enough about himself and his condition with the full moon coming. To deal with Harry's problems, too, would be like asking Remus to go to Azkaban.
He as he thought about Remus, the letter he had gotten from him earlier popped into his brain.
Dear Harry,
Sorry it has taken me so long to write. I guess—no, I know--I just wasn't up to talking about Sirius. But I can't leave you in the dark any longer.
I want you to live with me, Harry. But unfortunately, it can't happen soon. At least, in your bored, horrible time at the Dursley's. (He could picture Remus laughing as he wrote that. A 'bored horrible time at the Dursley's' wasn't strong-enough words to use for spending time at the Dursley's.) Dumbledore, believe it or not, has said you can live with me. But, Harry, I'm afraid for you to live here. What if I forget to take my potion? What if I hurt you and you get severely hurt or die? I can't lose you, Harry, especially since we both just lost Sirius. You're the last Mauderer. I want you to live here Harry, but there are so many 'what ifs.'
So Dumbledore and I figured that you can live with the Weasleys'. If you want to, I mean. Owl me back,
Remus
Harry couldn't believe Remus had called him the last Mauderer. He guess it made sense, in a way. James was a Mauderer, but now that he died, Harry was left. Genealogy, he guessed.
Also, did he not think Harry didn't know all the risks of living with Remus? Living with a werewolf was dangerous, but Harry wanted to, oh, he did, he realized. And not just to get out of the Dursleys'. He wanted to learn more about his mom, dad, and Sirius.
But he didn't want to burden Remus. With the fact that he lived with him, that he had to make sure he made and drank his potion, and with Harry's dreams Remus probably wouldn't get any sleep, even on the nights he didn't turn into a werewolf.
He didn't want to burden the Weasleys' either, though. Of course, he wouldn't tell them his dreams, but the Weasleys' were tight on money. He didn't want to be another mouth to feed. But when he thought of living with the Weasleys', he would be in a place were everyone loved him, and showed care. He would live with his best friend and Ginny.
Ginny. When Sirus' death wasn't plaguing him, or his dreams, he thought of Ginny. He even linked her to them….even though he wasn't sure, exactly, how or why.
But no. He couldn't like Ginny. She was his best mates' sister! Though, Harry knew, she was much more than that. He couldn't just label her "Ron's little sister." That was wrong. She had helped him, too. She went to the Ministry to save Sirius' life with them also. And she had written him this summer, too, and he had written her back.
What was up with that anyway? When did he start thinking about Ginny like that? That was a question he didn't want answered.…in fact, he didn't even want to think about the question's meanings, or even be asked it or think about it! He was so confused it wasn't funny.
He thought about the letter under his pillow. He reached for it, bringing it closely to his heart, doing the actions but not totally in control of the actions his body was making. He knew in a couple of hours, this letter would be in her hands, reading it, and for now, he was holding it, a little link inbetween them….
Okay, he was going to admit it to himself. He liked Ginny. Had a crush on her. And he knew he had to tell her. It wasn't right to keep something like this from her. He hated being "kept in the dark," in Remus' words, and she did too. So he ripped up the letter and started to write a new one…but he couldn't help but think, "Why am I doing this? Why the hell am I doing this? Since when have I been this outright?" He knew the answer. Since Ginny came storming—literally the word, too—into his life.
One day Pig came flying into his window with a letter from Ginny, acting like it was perfectly normal to be sending a letter to him. Well, it was normal, just the person who sent the letter….well, that was a bit awkward, he guessed was the word. In fact, those were the exact words her letters described—normal. She wasn't acting like he would explode any minute—like Ron and Hermione were doing. But he guessed they had perfect right to believe he would blow up on them any minute, because he did last year, but it annoyed him like crazy, beyond, and back again.
Dear Ginny,
Oh, I don't know what to write, I was just thinking about you, and came to a fact. I like you. No, you know I like you. I mean, in a crush type of way…I guess.
I know you probably still don't like me. I mean in crush way, but I had to tell you. You know I hate to be kept in the dark, and I know you do too, so I had to tell you. I couldn't keep something of this magnitude (big word coming out of me) from you.
Just had to tell you that, more about other things in the next letter,
Harry
In truth, Harry thought it was an extremely corny letter. Beyond that, in fact. But he said the first things that came to his mind, and if he wanted her to get the letter but tonight, he had to send it with Hedwig now--even if it made him sound stupid--for she had just gotten in from her hunt.
"Hedwig, I need you to get this letter to Ginny as soon as possible. And make sure she's alone, and don't leave until you get an answer. Okay?" he said as he tied the letter onto her leg. Hedwig could feel how tense he was.
She nipped on his finger, meaning she understood, and flew out the window.
Next time she comes from that window, Harry thought, will be the reason I die of humility or end up the luckiest person in the world.
* * * * * *
Sorry—who ever read this story before—I changed the grammar and most of the words, although they mean the same thing. Like I said, I am truly am extremely sorry you had to read this again.