Chapter 6: Veritas Amo et Fides?
As Ron, Hermione and Draco recited the incantation the magic surrounded them and the world seemed to stop. Ron felt the warmth of the magic envelop him and he saw as their auras combined around Harry. The light that surrounded Harry was brilliant and full of warmth and it seemed to Ron that Harry was asleep. But all of these sights and feelings rushed through him as he was reciting the strange words. Within him he felt the changes that the magic was creating. In his heart he understood what the words meant. Ron looked around him at Draco and Hermione and they were both looking at Harry. Ron could see that they were feeling the same things as he was. If someone had asked him how he knew, he would not have been able to answer, and yet he felt that it was true nonetheless.
Hermione noticed Ron looking at her and she saw her bewilderment reflected in his blue eyes. He smiled at her and she was afraid no more. They were friends and they were not alone.
Draco felt emotions run through him and knew that they were not his own. It surprised him that he could share the emotions that Ron and Hermione were feeling. It was strange, but yet very comforting. For the first time in his life, he knew that he was not alone, he had friends and they cared.
As they reached the end of the incantation the white light that had surrounded Harry enveloped them in its warmth. They could feel energy escaping them to concentrate on Harry. And with a blinding flash the light disappeared. It took a couple of minutes for their eyes to return to normal. Unfortunately, when they looked at Harry they saw something that they had never expected.
There, in the middle of the room floating above the chair was a ball of light. Harry's clothes lay on the chair lifeless. As Hermione, Ron and Draco looked in amazement at the floating ball; the book of true spells floated in the air towards them landing softly on Hermione's waiting arms. The soft voice enveloped them once again with is warmth.
'The spell is done and the deed complete,
Now you shall have the answers you seek.'
"Guys, do you think we did something wrong with the spell? Where is Harry?" Draco asked worriedly.
"Not at all Mr. Malfoy, actually, your spell worked quite well."
Upon hearing this, the three of them turned towards the sound of the voice and found that Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were standing inside the room. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in the light and professor McGonagall had a worried expression on her face. Hermione stepped forward and in a trembling voice tried to explain, "Professor, we can explain… we were trying to help Harry, and we found this book and…"
"Yes. The book of true spells. I am very impressed with you three. Those spells are not easy to perform." Dumbledore interrupted Hermione in a kind voice.
"Draco told us that they were special spells… but we had to try." Ron whispered.
"Don't worry Mr. Weasley. I am just here because I was called." Dumbledore answered but before Hermione could ask him who had called him, the voice from the book was heard.
'The time has come to reveal the answers'
Without noticing, the group slowly moved to make a circle around the ball of light. Rays of light extended from the ball to reach them. Ron was not surprised when the ray of light that connected him to the ball turned a bright red. 'I guess it knows I am Weasley' thought Ron with a smile. He saw they ray of light that connected Hermione to the ball turn into a soft blue color, he turned to his left to look at her and she seemed at peace. He was glad that she was ok.
Draco saw the emerald green color of the ray of light that connected him to the ball and wondered why each of them had a different color. He noted that Dumbledore's ray of light was a glowing gold and McGonagall's was a bright silver strand.
'You've passes the test that to you were given.
You have shown that your heart is true, and your motives pure.
The answer to your question,
"What can protect Harry Potter from the Dark Lord Voldemort?"
Is simple, to protect him there are the chosen ones.'
The answer to your question "What can make Harry Potter happy?" is
The happiness of those he loves.'
Questions troubled their minds but something was stopping them from asking..
'To answer the final question
"What is the thing that Harry Potter
Wants more than anything in this world?"
A spell must be cast.
Make sure that it is what you want.
The guardians will give you the spell,
And then you'll find your answer'
As the last words dissipated Dumbledore spoke with seriousness.
"Children, I must ask you. Did you know what the previous incantation mean?"
"Professor, I don't know what I said, but I felt what it meant." Ron answered pensively.
"Mr. Weasley, the spell you three performed is one of the most powerful ever written in history." McGonagall answered. "I don't know of anyone been able to perform it successfully before."
"Professor I don't understand. How come you knew we were doing this spell?" Hermione asked.
"Miss Granger, Professor McGonagall and I are the guardians of the book. It was entrusted to us to keep it safe. As I am sure Mr. Malfoy explained to you, the book has a mind of its own. You must understand that the spells contain within it are done with the heart and the soul of the person who is doing the spell."
Ron looked incredulously at the professor. "But professor, we didn't use our wands. How could the spell be so powerful?"
"Mr. Weasley all living things have natural magic all their own that come from the heart. It takes special circumstances for this magic to present itself, if at all." Dumbledore answered kindly.
"The book said that the guardians would give us the answer to the last question…. What…" Draco asked
"Mr. Malfoy, first you must recite the incantation you did previously, but not in Latin. You will recite it in English so that you know what it is that you are getting yourself into. If any of you are having second thought about this, we can stop now while there is still time. I must warn you that this spell will not only affect Harry, but it will also affect you as well." Professor McGonagall instructed them.
Hermione looked at the professors and without hesitation she looked at Ron and at Draco and nodded to them. They were going to go through with it, they couldn't give up now.
"Professor, Harry is our friend and I will give my life if needed in order for him to be happy and safe." Hermione told Dumbledore as tears gathered in her eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
"Hermione is right professor. Harry has always thought about us first. He is my best friend. I can't let my Harry suffer alone. I will protect my friends and my family with my life. Nothing else matters if they are not happy and well." Ron spoke vehemently as he took Hermione's hand in his. As soon as she felt his fingers interlaced themselves with hers, warmth surrounded her and she knew that she could count on him. She knew that Ron would be there for them all and that everything would be alright. He would make it alright.
"Professor, Harry risked his life for me against Voldermot regardless of how I had treated him before. He showed me what a true friend is. I owe him my life and I will do everything in my power so that Harry, Ron and Hermione are always safe." Without thinking, Draco interlaced his finger with Hermione's other hand and for the second time he felt at peace and no longer alone.
Dumbledore looked at Draco, Ron and Hermione. He saw how the ray of lights that connected them to the ball became stronger and more intense. At the same time the ball of light intensified its brilliance.
"Very well, you have chosen your path. I will you give the incantation." From his robes Dumbledore took his wand and created a golden scroll. The scroll floated in the air and stopped in front of Ron, Hermione and Draco. They could see the silver writing clearly as it shone against the golden background of the scroll.
"Speak the words truly." McGonagall instructed them kindly with a tender smile as both she and Dumbledore walked towards them and stood behind the trio. The ray that connected Dumbledore and McGonagall to the ball of light created a circle around the trio surrounding them with its light as well as the feeling of hope.
Softly and without pause they recited the incantation in unison.
'True friend
True heart
True love
True soul
Freely we come
To protect those we love
This is our promise
This is our bond
NOW WE ARE ONE!!!
Ron, Draco and Hermione felt each word and thought of one another. Images of the times spent with Harry ran through their heads. Each of them remembering and seeing the other's memories. But it was not just memories, it was feelings. Happiness, sadness, anger, and love all interweaving their own magic. Tears ran down Hermione's eyes as she held on to her friends.
In front of them the ball of light started to spin, it moved slowly at first and then increasingly faster. With each turn it started to pull into itself the rays that connected Ron, Draco and Hermione to the ball. At first the colors were distinctive against the white light but slowly the colors merged with each other, creating a rainbow of colors in its surface. As they neared the end of the incantation, all five rays of light were pulled into the ball. Its size increased slowly and as soon as the last words were spoken the ball of light slowly moved towards Ron and started to lower itself. Ron freed his hand from Hermione's and opened his arms as the ball of light reached him. Ron closed his arms around the ball and held it close to his chest, he felt it pulse there briefly and then it shattered into a million rays of light covering the room with its brilliance.
As the light faded and their eyes returned to normal once again, the other people in the room turned to look at what had happened to the ball and found a small baby boy, with jet black hair asleep in Ron's arms. An angelic smile played upon the baby's lips and his tiny hand was holding unto Ron's sweater as if he meant to never let go.
"Oh my God!! Harry?" a very shocked Hermione whispered.
Draco turned towards Ron not quite believing what had happened. Had they done something wrong? Had they failed Harry? How in hell were they going to explain this?
Ron looked at Hermione and at Draco and understood their shock. "Guys, I know this is a shock to all of us, and I guess what I am going to say is going to shock you more because I am not usually the sensible one, but I think that we should get something to cover Harry. It is very cold in here and he is not wearing anything."
Hermione blinked at him surprised by his suggestion as Ron walked to the couch and unfolded the soft golden afghan that was laid there. She saw Ron open Harry's hand, that was tightly holding his sweater, carefully so as not to wake him and lowered him into the afghan. Ron very carefully folded the afghan over Harry trying not to disturb him. When Harry was properly bundled in the afghan, Ron slowly picked him in his arms so as not to wake him. Ron turned to Hermione and smiled.
Draco could not believe what they had done. They were supposed to help Harry, not turn him into a baby. 'Ok, this was not supposed to happen.' Draco thought worriedly.
'You can say that again Malfoy.' Draco saw Hermione's eyes widen and when he turned to Ron, he saw the same shock reflected there.
"Please tell me that you did not hear my thought and answered back with yours?" pleaded Draco.
Hermione shook her head, "I am sorry Draco, but I heard both of you, with my mind."
"Professor, what happened?" Ron asked and the three of them turned to look at Dumbledore.
"Mr. Weasley lets sit down, have some food and I will clear up some things for you." Dumbledore replied as he walked towards the table and helped himself to the food that Hermione had prepared for their party.
Ron sat with Hermione on her bed while holding Harry in his arms. 'He is so light, and small.' Ron thought as he looked at Harry asleep in his arms. Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall sat on the sofa and Draco took the chair were Harry had been sitting moments before.
"Professor could you clear up the answers to the questions that we asked the book?" Hermione asked.
"Miss Granger," spoke McGonagall, "the answer to your first question is that to protect Harry there are the chosen ones. You, Ron and Draco are the chosen ones. The spells has given you the means to protect Harry. The answer to your second question is simple enough. It depends on you, as long as you are happy Harry will be happy." McGonagall stopped and looked at Dumbledore, silently asking to answer the third question.
"What happened to Harry was unexpected. You asked a very unusual question. You see after all this years, there is only one thing that Harry has wanted more than anything in this world."
"Harry… Harry has always wanted to have a family of his own." Whispered Hermione softly as she turned to look at the baby in Ron's arms, but it didn't matter because they had already figured it out as well.
"Professor, what are we going to do about this?" Draco asked.
To be continued…
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Disclaimer: only the plot is mine… please don't sue!!!
Sorry everyone for not updating sooner. I have been busy with my projects at work. Besides I have had to cut down on my typing since I have beginnings of carpal tunnel. I hope you guys liked this chapter. It took me a while to figure out the feel of it.
Thank you for all of your support, it means a lot to me. I welcome any suggestions that might better the story line. By the way the title of this chapter is "True Love and Protection"
Well, hopefully my next chapter will be written faster since I will have more time in my hands. Take care everyone and be safe…
Sincerely,
Ednyadove