Chapter Twenty-Eight- The Heir of Gryffindor
Harry's body felt cold and numb when he awakened in a semi-dark room hours after the battle down in the Chamber of Fawkes. He felt like every tiny movement had caused him pain, and he could not see properly. Someone had removed his glasses. He fumbled around for them, and found that they were on a bedside table. He slipped them on, and saw that he was in the hospital wing. It was deserted. He slowly sat up, and as he did, the events of the previous hours rolled over in his mind like a film.
He could not believe that Cho was dead. He had only just gotten to know her better, and they had been going steady for a while now, but now she was gone. He sunk back into his pillow, but as he did, he heard footsteps. He sat back up, and stared at the hospital wing doorway. Albus Dumbledore stood there, wearing robes of midnight blue, and his face looked old, and sad.
"I see you are awake, Harry." He said quietly, as he slowly approached Harry's bedside. For some unexplainable reason, Harry felt angry with Dumbledore. It was he who had made Cho keeper of the Orbs, and it was he, who led her into a death trap. Harry said nothing.
"Harry, I know how you must be feeling at the moment, and believe me, we all understand. Cho Chang was someone very dear to you, and now she is gone. You have lost another person that was very dear to you, and I can imagine the pain you must be feeling."
Harry's anger suddenly subsided, as he stared into the face of Albus Dumbledore. His blue eyes twinkled, and Harry was quite sure he could sense his anger. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He found it was difficult to even utter a word.
"Harry," Dumbledore said, as he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed. Harry remembered Dumbledore doing this in his first year, after his battle over the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry somehow found words to say.
"I couldn't even save her," Harry said, his voice shaking. "I didn't even know what to do,"
"Harry, it is not your fault that Ms. Chang is dead. I however, take the full responsibility for her death, seeing as it was I who appointed her as guardian of the Orbs," Dumbledore said sadly.
"Professor," Harry said, sitting up a bit further. "Why did you make Cho the keeper?"
Dumbledore stared at him for a second, but decided to answer his question. "It was my wish to find someone to look after the orbs after your Parents died, and I knew that if Voldemort had ever come back, he would be after two things; The prophecy, and the Orbs. Luckily, he never heard the Prophecy, which means that he only had one choice left; acquire the orbs of the phoenix,"
Harry continued to listen, although Cho's death once again rolled over in his mind.
"So, I needed to find someone, and find them fast. Luckily, during the summer holiday, I ran into Cho's parents. They are delightful people, who believed that Voldemort would indeed come after the orbs. They-"
"They knew about the orbs?" Harry asked quickly, cutting Dumbledore off.
"Almost everyone in the wizarding world knows about the orbs, but they do not know its contents, and the location. Cho's parents insisted that I delegate the task to Cho. I was very uneasy about it, but they seemed to think Voldemort would never suspect a Child was the guardian. So, I did, and Cho was very up for the task. I told her that she could not tell anyone where they were hidden-"
Harry once again jumped in. "Dobby, the house-elf knew where they were. He was the one who told me about it,"
"That was also something I had left out. Dobby and some of the other house- elves were guardians for the orbs at some point in time, but I decided that they should carry on with their normal responsibilities. I did however, forget that Dobby the house-elf knew about them, but found there was no harm in his continued knowledge." Dumbledore said, seriously.
"I do recall, that it you, and your friends journeyed down into the outer chamber sometime ago?"
Harry nodded. "But we got chased off by those statues. They came to life, and tried to kill us."
Dumbledore gave a small chuckle. "I must confess Harry, that the statues were my idea. I asked Professor McGonagall to cast a charm over them, so they could ward off all intruders. I do however, regret that charm because it only worked once."
"So you see Harry, it is not your fault that Ms. Chang is dead. It is mine alone, and I am sorry for the pain I have caused you," Dumbledore said, gravely.
"Its okay, Professor" Harry said. He however, wanted more than just an explanation about the orbs. Before he could ask, Dumbledore spoke again.
"I feel there is something else that you want to know about, and that would be the attack you inflicted upon Lord Voldemort hours ago?"
Harry nodded, but was still in confusion about it. "Sir, I don't know what happened to me. I started remembering things; Cho dying, Cedric dying, Alice and Frank Longbottom in St Mungo's, and a lot of other things, and then-"
"Your hands started to glow? Ah, yes, I think I am correct in saying that the light engulfed Lord Voldemort, and turned into blood?"
"How did you know?"
"Harry, you have just witnessed the power that is inside you. This is the power that you possess in such large quantities. It is the power of Gryffindor; passed on by the founder of your house."
Harry stared at Dumbledore. "Power of Gryffindor?"
"yes. This is the power that resides in the locked room at the Department of Mysteries. This power, as I stated last year, is what Lord Voldemort fears. This power is best brought about by emotion, and normally, it the emotion of love. Am I correct to say that when Lord Voldemort possessed you briefly in the Ministry of Magic last year, and your heart burst into the love you have for Sirius, Lord Voldemort released you?"
Harry nodded.
"You see," said Dumbledore. "This power you have is what drove you to do the many things you have done in the previous years. This power has allowed you to escape Lord Voldemort the many times you have. This power, is what divides you from any other Gryffindor ever to pass through the house."
Harry didn't understand. "What do you mean?"
"Isn't it obvious Harry?" Dumbledore asked with a smile. "You are the heir of Godric Gryffindor."
This struck Harry so hard, that he found he regained a lot of strength, in short of space of five seconds. Heir of Gryffindor? So, Godric Gryffindor did have an heir. Could that possibly mean that the other two houses, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had heirs? But, then something struck Harry. The answer to the question he had just asked himself. He looked up at Dumbledore.
"Professor, does that mean that, Cedric was the heir of Hufflepuff, and Cho was the heir of Ravenclaw?"
Dumbledore nodded. So, every house at Hogwarts had an heir. However, two of those heirs were already dead, which means that they would not be able to continue the legacy. Harry frowned to himself. If only Cedric and Cho were here, he could share this with them.
"Harry, there is also something else that I have been keeping from you for this past year, and I do hope you understand why. Did you not receive a letter from an anonymous person this year?"
Harry nodded. He looked over, and saw his clothes folded neatly on the chair beside his bed. He fumbled through his robes and took the letter out. He did not tell anyone that he carried the letter with him everyday. He handed the note to Dumbledore, who took it, but continued to gaze at Hary. "You will remember, when I told you that no spell can reawaken the dead, right?"
Harry nodded. He had said this in Harry's fourth year, after the Triwizard Tournament, and after Cedric's death.
"However, there was something that could bring people back, and that was the orbs. I used one of them on Sirius, and I used the other two on two other people."
Harry then thought of something. Voldemort would have felt stupid, because he wouldn't have been able to access the orbs powers because the three of them were used already.
The hospital wing doors opened, and two people entered, followed by a black shaggy dog. The man was tall, thin, had jet-black hair like Harry which stuck up at the back, and wore glasses. He had hazel eyes, and was smiling. The woman had long thick red hair, with almond shaped eyes, which were vivid green. She was thin and very pretty looking. Harry's stomach leapt with complete excitement. He was staring at his parents, alive, and in the flesh.
He quickly leapt up from his bed, as Dumbledore jumped aside to avoid injury, as Harry dashed to the two people he had always wanted to meet for his entire life. They embraced in a large hug, as the black shaggy dog, transformed into the figure of Harry's godfather. Harry could not believe that he was actually touching his mother and father. He had often saw them in his dreams, but now, there were back, and real.
"Look at him, James. He looks exactly like you!" said Lily Potter, sobbing happily.
"Damn good flyer, I suppose?" James asked.
"A very excellent flyer," said Dumbledore.
"Does he yell?" Lily asked. "That was always my specialty."
"Harry's voice could magnify this entire castle if he wanted it to," said Sirius, clasping a hand on Harry's back. "I cant believe I'm not dreaming. Professor, how come-"
"Well, you will find that there was always a wish that I wanted to fulfill for you, Harry, and Fawkes has allowed me to grant that wish."
Harry hugged his parents again, hoping that he would never ever forget this moment in his entire life. He felt whole again, but still, there was that empty weight of Cho missing. He knew it would never be filled again.
Harry's body felt cold and numb when he awakened in a semi-dark room hours after the battle down in the Chamber of Fawkes. He felt like every tiny movement had caused him pain, and he could not see properly. Someone had removed his glasses. He fumbled around for them, and found that they were on a bedside table. He slipped them on, and saw that he was in the hospital wing. It was deserted. He slowly sat up, and as he did, the events of the previous hours rolled over in his mind like a film.
He could not believe that Cho was dead. He had only just gotten to know her better, and they had been going steady for a while now, but now she was gone. He sunk back into his pillow, but as he did, he heard footsteps. He sat back up, and stared at the hospital wing doorway. Albus Dumbledore stood there, wearing robes of midnight blue, and his face looked old, and sad.
"I see you are awake, Harry." He said quietly, as he slowly approached Harry's bedside. For some unexplainable reason, Harry felt angry with Dumbledore. It was he who had made Cho keeper of the Orbs, and it was he, who led her into a death trap. Harry said nothing.
"Harry, I know how you must be feeling at the moment, and believe me, we all understand. Cho Chang was someone very dear to you, and now she is gone. You have lost another person that was very dear to you, and I can imagine the pain you must be feeling."
Harry's anger suddenly subsided, as he stared into the face of Albus Dumbledore. His blue eyes twinkled, and Harry was quite sure he could sense his anger. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He found it was difficult to even utter a word.
"Harry," Dumbledore said, as he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed. Harry remembered Dumbledore doing this in his first year, after his battle over the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry somehow found words to say.
"I couldn't even save her," Harry said, his voice shaking. "I didn't even know what to do,"
"Harry, it is not your fault that Ms. Chang is dead. I however, take the full responsibility for her death, seeing as it was I who appointed her as guardian of the Orbs," Dumbledore said sadly.
"Professor," Harry said, sitting up a bit further. "Why did you make Cho the keeper?"
Dumbledore stared at him for a second, but decided to answer his question. "It was my wish to find someone to look after the orbs after your Parents died, and I knew that if Voldemort had ever come back, he would be after two things; The prophecy, and the Orbs. Luckily, he never heard the Prophecy, which means that he only had one choice left; acquire the orbs of the phoenix,"
Harry continued to listen, although Cho's death once again rolled over in his mind.
"So, I needed to find someone, and find them fast. Luckily, during the summer holiday, I ran into Cho's parents. They are delightful people, who believed that Voldemort would indeed come after the orbs. They-"
"They knew about the orbs?" Harry asked quickly, cutting Dumbledore off.
"Almost everyone in the wizarding world knows about the orbs, but they do not know its contents, and the location. Cho's parents insisted that I delegate the task to Cho. I was very uneasy about it, but they seemed to think Voldemort would never suspect a Child was the guardian. So, I did, and Cho was very up for the task. I told her that she could not tell anyone where they were hidden-"
Harry once again jumped in. "Dobby, the house-elf knew where they were. He was the one who told me about it,"
"That was also something I had left out. Dobby and some of the other house- elves were guardians for the orbs at some point in time, but I decided that they should carry on with their normal responsibilities. I did however, forget that Dobby the house-elf knew about them, but found there was no harm in his continued knowledge." Dumbledore said, seriously.
"I do recall, that it you, and your friends journeyed down into the outer chamber sometime ago?"
Harry nodded. "But we got chased off by those statues. They came to life, and tried to kill us."
Dumbledore gave a small chuckle. "I must confess Harry, that the statues were my idea. I asked Professor McGonagall to cast a charm over them, so they could ward off all intruders. I do however, regret that charm because it only worked once."
"So you see Harry, it is not your fault that Ms. Chang is dead. It is mine alone, and I am sorry for the pain I have caused you," Dumbledore said, gravely.
"Its okay, Professor" Harry said. He however, wanted more than just an explanation about the orbs. Before he could ask, Dumbledore spoke again.
"I feel there is something else that you want to know about, and that would be the attack you inflicted upon Lord Voldemort hours ago?"
Harry nodded, but was still in confusion about it. "Sir, I don't know what happened to me. I started remembering things; Cho dying, Cedric dying, Alice and Frank Longbottom in St Mungo's, and a lot of other things, and then-"
"Your hands started to glow? Ah, yes, I think I am correct in saying that the light engulfed Lord Voldemort, and turned into blood?"
"How did you know?"
"Harry, you have just witnessed the power that is inside you. This is the power that you possess in such large quantities. It is the power of Gryffindor; passed on by the founder of your house."
Harry stared at Dumbledore. "Power of Gryffindor?"
"yes. This is the power that resides in the locked room at the Department of Mysteries. This power, as I stated last year, is what Lord Voldemort fears. This power is best brought about by emotion, and normally, it the emotion of love. Am I correct to say that when Lord Voldemort possessed you briefly in the Ministry of Magic last year, and your heart burst into the love you have for Sirius, Lord Voldemort released you?"
Harry nodded.
"You see," said Dumbledore. "This power you have is what drove you to do the many things you have done in the previous years. This power has allowed you to escape Lord Voldemort the many times you have. This power, is what divides you from any other Gryffindor ever to pass through the house."
Harry didn't understand. "What do you mean?"
"Isn't it obvious Harry?" Dumbledore asked with a smile. "You are the heir of Godric Gryffindor."
This struck Harry so hard, that he found he regained a lot of strength, in short of space of five seconds. Heir of Gryffindor? So, Godric Gryffindor did have an heir. Could that possibly mean that the other two houses, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had heirs? But, then something struck Harry. The answer to the question he had just asked himself. He looked up at Dumbledore.
"Professor, does that mean that, Cedric was the heir of Hufflepuff, and Cho was the heir of Ravenclaw?"
Dumbledore nodded. So, every house at Hogwarts had an heir. However, two of those heirs were already dead, which means that they would not be able to continue the legacy. Harry frowned to himself. If only Cedric and Cho were here, he could share this with them.
"Harry, there is also something else that I have been keeping from you for this past year, and I do hope you understand why. Did you not receive a letter from an anonymous person this year?"
Harry nodded. He looked over, and saw his clothes folded neatly on the chair beside his bed. He fumbled through his robes and took the letter out. He did not tell anyone that he carried the letter with him everyday. He handed the note to Dumbledore, who took it, but continued to gaze at Hary. "You will remember, when I told you that no spell can reawaken the dead, right?"
Harry nodded. He had said this in Harry's fourth year, after the Triwizard Tournament, and after Cedric's death.
"However, there was something that could bring people back, and that was the orbs. I used one of them on Sirius, and I used the other two on two other people."
Harry then thought of something. Voldemort would have felt stupid, because he wouldn't have been able to access the orbs powers because the three of them were used already.
The hospital wing doors opened, and two people entered, followed by a black shaggy dog. The man was tall, thin, had jet-black hair like Harry which stuck up at the back, and wore glasses. He had hazel eyes, and was smiling. The woman had long thick red hair, with almond shaped eyes, which were vivid green. She was thin and very pretty looking. Harry's stomach leapt with complete excitement. He was staring at his parents, alive, and in the flesh.
He quickly leapt up from his bed, as Dumbledore jumped aside to avoid injury, as Harry dashed to the two people he had always wanted to meet for his entire life. They embraced in a large hug, as the black shaggy dog, transformed into the figure of Harry's godfather. Harry could not believe that he was actually touching his mother and father. He had often saw them in his dreams, but now, there were back, and real.
"Look at him, James. He looks exactly like you!" said Lily Potter, sobbing happily.
"Damn good flyer, I suppose?" James asked.
"A very excellent flyer," said Dumbledore.
"Does he yell?" Lily asked. "That was always my specialty."
"Harry's voice could magnify this entire castle if he wanted it to," said Sirius, clasping a hand on Harry's back. "I cant believe I'm not dreaming. Professor, how come-"
"Well, you will find that there was always a wish that I wanted to fulfill for you, Harry, and Fawkes has allowed me to grant that wish."
Harry hugged his parents again, hoping that he would never ever forget this moment in his entire life. He felt whole again, but still, there was that empty weight of Cho missing. He knew it would never be filled again.