A Glimpse of the Hidden
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Five
"WHAT?!" Sirius and Harry cried in unison. Luna sighed, and fell into her chair.
"Voldemort?" Harry cried, looking at the locket in disgust.
"No, Tom Riddle," Luna corrected. "Long before he ever thought about being Voldemort. Before he knew he was a wizard. Your grandmother was a Muggle, remember Harry?"
"But...but..." Harry stuttered.
"What do you mean, Tom Riddle?" Sirius snapped. "How could you possibly know that? And what do you mean, Harry's grandmother? Lily had that necklace as long as I can remember."
"You met Lily in sixth year," Luna retorted. "I had been her best friend since our first year. Trust me, I know. It was left to her when Voldemort murdered her parents."
"WHAT?!" Harry and Sirius cried again. Luna rolled her eyes.
"Look, just take my word for it, okay?" She snapped. "It was given to Harry's grand-mother by Tom Riddle, who later became Voldemort, who in turned murdered the girl he gave it to. That's the story, there's nothing more to say."
"That is just....weird." Sirius muttered.
"Tell me about it," Luna replied.
"I feel like I don't know anything about my family," Harry murmured, falling into a chair. Luna watched him sympathetically. Then, an idea came to her.
"Hey, Sirius," She said. "Has Harry ever been to the house?"
"The house?" Sirius replied, bewildered.
"Yeah, you know," Luna continued. "The house in Godric's Hollow." At her words Sirius blanched and Harry looked up hopefully.
"It's still there?"
"Well...not really..." Luna muttered. "I just...it seems like the right thing to do. Your parents are buried on the estate.
"They are?" Sirius asked.
"Well yeah," Luna rolled her eyes.
"It's not like I could exactly attend the funeral," Sirius reminded her acidly. Luna flinched, not realizing she had hit such a tender spot.
"Well, you should go," She replied.
"Can I, Sirius?" Harry asked anxiously. For some reason, the thought of seeing the house that had once been his home, and his parents' graves....maybe it would give him some closure.
"I...well..." Sirius seemed at quite a loss for words. He looked down at Harry. Even though he was a grown young man at sixteen, he looked about ten years younger right then, like most children beg their parents for candy. Except this child was begging for the opportunity to see the house and life that should've been his. Sirius sighed.
"All right, I'll talk to Dumbledore. It's time he told you a few things anyway." Sirius mumbled. Harry wondered what he was talking about.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dumbledore was always busy, but Harry managed to squeeze in an appointment for the next day. He had no idea why he was looking forward to this, but he was. It had never occurred to Harry to visit the home that had once been his, but ever since Luna mentioned it, he had known it was what he wanted to do.
He said as much to Ron and Hermione that night. Hermione agreed, knowing that if she hadn't been to Aunt Charlotte's funeral she didn't know if she could've accepted her death. She had wondered, in the past, if Harry had ever had any kind of closure concerning the death of his parents. And here it was.
Ron also nodded his approval, and furthermore offered to accompany Harry. Hermione said she would also come along, for emotional support. The two friends weren't entirely sure if Harry needed or wanted them to come, but he said he would appreciate their presence and they had to be content with that.
That night, as usual, Ron had a dream.
~*~
He knew the ruins had once been a house, a great house standing proud and tall, comforting and warm. He knew the house had been destroyed by evil. He knew James and Lily Potter had once called this house home.
Sirius, Harry, and Hermione were standing by the ruins. Ron never saw himself in visions or dreams. He supposed it was taboo to have visions of one's own fate. However, he was sure that when this actually happened, he would be there as well.
It happened so suddenly Ron wasn't even expecting it. He was almost startled out of sleep. A group of Death Eaters swooped onto the premises, and curses flew everywhere. Ron watched in horror as Harry, Hermione, and Sirius, caught unaware, tried desperately to fight back. Then he saw Lily and James trying to protect their son, but unable to do anything...
~*~
Ron woke up with a start, and his eyes searched the room, a foreboding chilling his heart. If he had just seen the future, Harry could NOT go visit the house in Godric's Hollow. He hated to think of trying to explain why, but he knew it had to be done.
The next morning, Ron was still pondering how he was going to explain his conclusions to Harry in a way that would make him understand. Harry was extremely stubborn at times, and Ron knew he wouldn't give up this opportunity without a fight.
He decided to talk to Harry before breakfast. He wanted to get everything over with as soon as possible, without a lot of people around.
"Harry," He said, somewhat nervously.
"Yeah?" Harry asked, giving Ron a weird look. It was not at all in his nature to be nervous with Harry.
"Um..." Ron opened his mouth, knowing what he was going to say. He had a speech planned out. I had a dream last night, and I saw you at Godric's Hollow at your parents' house. You were attacked. Ron's mind said the words, his mouth opened.
"I'm starving, let's get to breakfast,"
Harry raised an eyebrow at Ron's words. The change in his was amazing. At first had been acting somewhat apprehensive. Now he was just his normal self, comfortable and confident. Harry shrugged.
"Sounds fine to me,"
Ron tried with all his will power to stay standing and explain, but he realized he was walking next to Harry and talking about Quidditch.
Ron was trying with all his strength to tell Harry, to do what he had planned. This was more than just not bringing himself to tell his best friend about the dream, it was like he had no control whatsoever of what he was doing. It was like being under the Imperious Curse but in complete control of his wits, just not his actions.
In the middle of breakfast he finally managed to break away from the table and run out of the Great Hall to the bathroom. He needed to tell someone...ANYONE! He had tried talking to Hermione, Ginny, and Neville, but the words never came. His head was pounding and spinning, his blood was rushing through his veins at an ungodly speed and at that moment he was sure he was going to explode...
"Weasley!" Draco yelled, materializing out of nowhere. "Are you okay?"
"Voldemort is going to attack Godric's Hollow when Harry visits!" Ron shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Cool it man," Draco snapped in a reproachful voice. "Why don't you go tell him?"
"I...I can't," Ron sighed, closing his eyes.
"What do you mean you can't?" Draco demanded, his eyebrows arched.
"I mean I can't! The words won't come! It's like I'm under Imperious, I have no control over my actions, like I...I'm-"
"Possessed." Draco finished. It was not a question. Ron looked up in surprise.
"Yeah," Ron said. "Yeah, that's exactly what it's like. How did you...?"
"The marble," Draco said, nodding his head toward Ron's clenched hand. Rather surprised, the redhead looked down and realized the marble was within the member in question, the colors swirling at a rate so fast he couldn't tell one from the next. He looked up at Draco in horror.
"Do you think...this is like Tom Riddle's diary all over again?" Ron whispered.
"Just put it down, Ron," Draco instructed. "Just leave it here and forget about it. It's hardly dangerous if not in the hands of a Divinator, I'm sure."
"I...I can't, Draco," Ron realized as he tried to tear his eyes away from the small spherical object in his hand. When he finally succeeded his desperately blue eyes met the empty, transparent orbs of Draco Malfoy.
"This could be a problem," Draco muttered.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What is WRONG with him?" Hermione cried for the millionth time in as many weeks. Harry just sighed as he watched Ron run out of the Hall.
"I don't know, 'Mione," He said. "It sounded like he wanted to say something to me this morning, but he just couldn't get it out."
"I wonder...was he going to tell you?" Hermione wondered out loud. Harry shrugged and went back to his eggs. He had other things on his mind that morning.
He was going over the speech again and again in his mind as he started slowly walking toward the gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office. He walked into the familiar office looking around with the childish curiosity it always inspired. However, he was feeling rather nervous. How does one start a conversation like this anyway?
"Ah, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said coming in from a side door and causing Harry to jump.
"Headmaster," Harry nodded, composing himself. Dumbledore gestured for him to sit, then lowered himself into his own chair behind the desk.
"Now," Dumbledore said, and Harry gulped as the headmaster fixed him with that familiar penetrating stare. "I know you wanted to ask something of me, Mr. Potter. Let's not beat around the bush. Tea?"
"Huh?" Harry blinked as a platter laden with a silver tea set appeared on the desk where an abstract paperweight had once been. "Uh...sure..." Harry said, nodding as the headmaster gestured to the sugar and concluded that this was certainly one of the strangest conversations he had ever had, which was really saying something.
"Go ahead, I'm listening," Dumbledore said, handing Harry his tea and fixing a cup for himself.
"Er, well...I was talking to Sirius and Lu-I mean, Professor Starlight-"
"You may call her Luna, Harry," Dumbledore interrupted. "She is your coach as well as your professor."
"Um...okay," Harry replied. "Anyway, I was talking to Sirius and...er...Luna. And Luna...it just came up in conversation that...um...she suggested..."
"What did she suggest?" Dumbledore asked encouragingly, looking at Harry curiously. He gulped.
"That I go see my parent's house in Godric's Hollow," Harry said quickly, his voice soft and his eye on the ground. When he raised them he saw Dumbledore raise his bushy gray eyebrows and continued quickly, "So, of course, Sirius said I would have to ask you for permission, and-"
"No, he didn't," Dumbledore interrupted with a sigh. Harry blinked.
"What?"
"Sirius didn't send you down here for permission," Dumbledore said. "He sent you down here for the truth."
"The truth?" Harry echoed in confusion. He met Dumbledore's eyes and saw how very tired the old man was.
"Harry," He sighed again. "It is time I told you a story. A story that took place many years ago, and that I should've told the moment you entered this school." Harry decided not to say anything. He simply watched with intense curiosity, and after a few moment the headmaster began to speak.
"Hard as it is to believe, Harry, I was young once. I was young and rich and powerful, from one of the oldest and most prestigious families in magical history. And not only was I young, rich and powerful, but I was in love. Head over heels with a woman named Maria Spartan. Maria came from a long line of wizardry, just like me. And we were married when I was eighteen, just after she graduated from Hogwarts.
"Maria's father was involved from the beginning with the anti-Muggle movement of the 1860's. Yes, Harry, I am that old I must admit. I didn't have any convictions about Muggles or Muggleborns back then, they weren't important. So when my I married a woman with anti-Muggle sentiments I didn't think much of it. As a matter of fact, I got rather caught up in it myself.
"I was...I was overjoyed when I learned Maria was going to have a child," Dumbledore's eyes became rather wet as he spoke. "We had a little boy, and I wanted to name him Albus after myself. But...but our son was a squib. Maria wouldn't have anything to do with the child. And I...I didn't have the guts to stand up for her. I did, however, convince her not to kill the child. We gave it to a Muggle orphanage.
"Maria did three year later giving birth to our second child, a daughter, who I named after her mother. And as I watched my daughter grow up, I began to think more and more about my abandoned son. I never did have the guts to go find him, but I did vow to protect all non-magical people from that moment on. I raised Maria to have the same values, and she grew up at Hogwarts since I had become the Transfiguration professor there.
"It was Maria's daughter Elizabeth who married Matthew. I was very fond of Elizabeth, who was my only grandchild, and Matthew was a fine upstanding youth and had been one of my best students. Maria died just before the birth of their first son, my great-grandson. His name..."
For the first time in the narrative Dumbledore faltered. His eyes lowered to his hands and Harry could see for the first time that they were shaking. He couldn't imagine what inspired such emotion. When the headmaster looked up again met Harry's eyes, the pupil could see tears shining. "His name was James. James Edward Potter. Your father. I...I am your great-great-grandfather, Harry."
If Harry had been sitting, he would've fallen. If he had been holding something, he would've dropped it. If he had been drinking something, he would've spit it out. In his current state he could do nothing but pale several shades and let his jaw drop.
The shock's numbing effect softened just enough for Harry to get a taste of the emotions that soon hit him at full force. Surprise, happiness, confusion, and more than anything else, anger. Why hadn't Dumbledore told him? Why had he left his great-great-grandson with the Dursleys on the pretense that they were his "only living relatives" when Dumbledore could've just taken him in? Why...?
"I...I..." Harry stuttered, unable to think of something to say. Dumbledore sighed and met Harry's eyes.
"Yes, you may go to Godric's Hollow on April 17, I believe that is a Hogsmeade Saturday. I suggest you go to your common room and think, Harry. I know...I know this is a lot to take in one sitting."
"Yes," Harry managed to mumble, and numbly turned and stumbled out of the room, his mind still spinning with questions.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It had been six days since Harry learned the truth about Dumbledore. He was walking around still in a sort of daze. It was obvious that Sirius had known the whole time, and he shot his godson an apologetic look as the Defenders sat down for a meeting on Friday evening after dinner.
"I'm assuming everyone here knows," Luna said without preamble, her gaze resting on Harry. Everyone there did know. He had gathered them all together the day after his interview with Dumbledore and explained the situation. No one really knew how to react, and Harry was just getting used to the idea.
"Well...er...yeah," Cho finally said. Luna nodded.
"Alright, down to business!" She paired them off and they began to duel. Ron, who still hadn't been able to break out of whatever spell the marble had placed on him, still hadn't been able to tell Harry about the vision of the attack at Godric's Hollow. Therefore, he wasn't all too happy when he was partnered to duel with Harry.
"C'mon, Weasley," Harry said joking. "Give me all you got!" They started dueling. Harry was winning, of course. It's hard to pay attention to a duel when you are continually getting hit with bursts of electric shock. Confound Harry and his Lightening Defender powers!
Frustrated, Ron shouted out the first spell that came to mind and got in a lucky strike. It happened to be the tickling spell, and Harry fell to the ground, clutching his sides in laughter. The scene was so humorous that everyone else stopped, and Ron just grinned as Harry begged for mercy, practically crying from laughing so hard.
Eventually Ron lifted the spell and extended a hand to help Harry up. It was as Ron was pulling him into a vertical position that he saw the glint of gold on his best friend's neck.
"What's this, Harry?" He teased. "Wearing jewelry now, are we?"
"It was my mother's," Harry explained, taking the locket out from under his shirt. Ron felt strangely attracted to the necklace. He slowly reached out his hand, getting nearer and nearer until the only thing in his vision was the locket...
A jolt of pain raced up his arm as his hand brushed the gold. He screamed in agony, tearing his burnt hand from the locket and breathing heavily.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" Hermione cried, running to Ron and expecting his hand. There was a swelling red welt where his hand had touched the gold. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, but Hermione quickly pulled out her wand and healed the wound. She turned to Harry with her eyes wide.
"Is it charmed?" She demanded. "Cursed?"
"I don't know!" Harry exclaimed, looking down at the locket in surprise. Looking between the too of them Neville approached Harry and tentatively laid a finger on the locket.
Nothing happened.
"What does this mean, Luna?" Ginny asked anxiously, as Cho looked between Ron and Harry with a mixture of confusion and fright.
"I don't know," Their coach whispered, her eyes wide.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ginny wanted to be alone. Nowhere in the castle could she find the solitude she wanted. She found herself wandering through the corridors, and eventually to the oak doors of the Entrance Hall. After looking around to make sure no one was going to follow, she slipped outside.
Although the snow had begun to melt, a white blanket still covered mot of the grounds. The sun was shining and the only sound was the whispering of the wind. Ginny shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. The breeze was bitterly cold.
"Cold?" A deep voice asked. Ginny jumped, for a moment she swore it was Draco's voice. Turning, she identified the speaker as Harry Potter. He was leaning against the castle wall, looking out at the forest, his cloak fluttering in the breeze.
"What are you doing out here?" She asked in surprise.
"Thinking," Harry shrugged. "But unlike some people, I cam prepared. It's freezing out here Ginny, you're going to catch pneumonia." Before she could think of a reply, Harry had taken off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"Thank you," Ginny whispered. Harry smiled, then turned and sat down on the steps. Ginny followed his example, drawing the cloak around her as she sat down. Her nose was still cold, but the rest of her was pleasantly warm. Harry's cloak was much too large, but that just made it all the warmer. Wrapping her arms around her knees she could small Harry's distinct scent from the cloak; soap, pine, and something sweet. She liked it.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked, her eyes not leaving the grounds as she studied the breathtaking scenery. She had a great view from this vantage point.
"I don't know. Life, I guess." Intrigued, Ginny turned. Harry's head was hanging down, his eyes coldly regarding the stone steps in an unwavering stare. "And death. It's hard to think about life without wondering about death too."
"Yeah," Ginny suddenly looked away, embarrassed. The conversation was, to put it lightly, somewhat uncomfortable. A breeze lifted her hair and Ginny felt Harry shiver next to her. She immediately felt guilty for intruding on his thoughts and stealing his cloak too.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here," She said quickly, fumbling with the cloak as she stood up. Harry leapt to his feet and grabbed her wrist.
"No Ginny, wait," He said. "Don't go."
"Thank you for letting me borrow the cloak," She said, wrenching free from his grasp and holding his cloak out to him. He didn't take it.
"It's going to be okay, Ginny," He said gently.
"I don't know what you're talking about," She replied.
"Yes you do," He said, his eyes not leaving hers. "Draco." It was the first time she had ever heard Harry speak his name. His eyes were boring into hers, searching. Ginny broke eye contact and turned away, holding the cloak to her. No, it most certainly was NOT going to be okay! She heard Harry sigh from behind her.
"Ginny-" He began. She interrupted by whirling around and holding a hand up to silence him.
"Don't Harry. Don't even try. You have to idea what this is like for me." She saw his eyes narrow.
"You know Ginny, you're not the only one who's ever lost someone." Ginny flinched visibly at his voice. She hadn't realized she hit such a tender spot.
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"Well that's sure what it sounded like," Harry snapped. She sighed in exasperation.
"Harry-"
"Ginny, let me tell you something I had to learn the hard way." He took a step toward her, taking his cloak and setting it carefully on the ground. Standing, he took her hands in his. Warning bells began ringing in Ginny's mind, but she ignored them. She was intensely curious about what he had to say.
"I never knew my parents," Harry began. "But when I came here, to this place..." His eyes swept the grounds so she couldn't mistake his meaning. "I learned everything about them I had ever wondered about and more. It was like losing them all over again. But Ginny-" he pulled her closer and his eyes were coming alive as she searched them with her own. "Ginny, I had to learn to trust other people. Sure, no one will be able to replace my parents, but I've got Sirius and Luna and Dumbledore."
"So what are you saying?" Ginny asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm saying that it's okay to remember Draco. It wouldn't be right if you didn't. But one day..." Harry leaned even closer, and Ginny's breath quickened. "Maybe you can learn to love someone else."
"Ginny was never certain on who kissed whom. At the time, it didn't matter. She hadn't felt this way since Draco died. At that moment, in his arms, Harry Potter was all that mattered.
Standing in what would've been plain view, watching with a surge of emotions, was the intangible Draco Malfoy. He had known since he died that Ginny was meant for Harry all along, that in the game of destiny he had only been a pawn to insure that Ginny and Harry fell in love, but still...
Turning, he left them in the solitude they believed they had enjoyed the whole time, wrapped in one another's arms as the wind lifted Ginny's fiery hair around Harry's face and their forms seemed to melt together.
~I pledge my loyalty to Honor, Justice, and Hogwarts~
Part Five
"WHAT?!" Sirius and Harry cried in unison. Luna sighed, and fell into her chair.
"Voldemort?" Harry cried, looking at the locket in disgust.
"No, Tom Riddle," Luna corrected. "Long before he ever thought about being Voldemort. Before he knew he was a wizard. Your grandmother was a Muggle, remember Harry?"
"But...but..." Harry stuttered.
"What do you mean, Tom Riddle?" Sirius snapped. "How could you possibly know that? And what do you mean, Harry's grandmother? Lily had that necklace as long as I can remember."
"You met Lily in sixth year," Luna retorted. "I had been her best friend since our first year. Trust me, I know. It was left to her when Voldemort murdered her parents."
"WHAT?!" Harry and Sirius cried again. Luna rolled her eyes.
"Look, just take my word for it, okay?" She snapped. "It was given to Harry's grand-mother by Tom Riddle, who later became Voldemort, who in turned murdered the girl he gave it to. That's the story, there's nothing more to say."
"That is just....weird." Sirius muttered.
"Tell me about it," Luna replied.
"I feel like I don't know anything about my family," Harry murmured, falling into a chair. Luna watched him sympathetically. Then, an idea came to her.
"Hey, Sirius," She said. "Has Harry ever been to the house?"
"The house?" Sirius replied, bewildered.
"Yeah, you know," Luna continued. "The house in Godric's Hollow." At her words Sirius blanched and Harry looked up hopefully.
"It's still there?"
"Well...not really..." Luna muttered. "I just...it seems like the right thing to do. Your parents are buried on the estate.
"They are?" Sirius asked.
"Well yeah," Luna rolled her eyes.
"It's not like I could exactly attend the funeral," Sirius reminded her acidly. Luna flinched, not realizing she had hit such a tender spot.
"Well, you should go," She replied.
"Can I, Sirius?" Harry asked anxiously. For some reason, the thought of seeing the house that had once been his home, and his parents' graves....maybe it would give him some closure.
"I...well..." Sirius seemed at quite a loss for words. He looked down at Harry. Even though he was a grown young man at sixteen, he looked about ten years younger right then, like most children beg their parents for candy. Except this child was begging for the opportunity to see the house and life that should've been his. Sirius sighed.
"All right, I'll talk to Dumbledore. It's time he told you a few things anyway." Sirius mumbled. Harry wondered what he was talking about.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dumbledore was always busy, but Harry managed to squeeze in an appointment for the next day. He had no idea why he was looking forward to this, but he was. It had never occurred to Harry to visit the home that had once been his, but ever since Luna mentioned it, he had known it was what he wanted to do.
He said as much to Ron and Hermione that night. Hermione agreed, knowing that if she hadn't been to Aunt Charlotte's funeral she didn't know if she could've accepted her death. She had wondered, in the past, if Harry had ever had any kind of closure concerning the death of his parents. And here it was.
Ron also nodded his approval, and furthermore offered to accompany Harry. Hermione said she would also come along, for emotional support. The two friends weren't entirely sure if Harry needed or wanted them to come, but he said he would appreciate their presence and they had to be content with that.
That night, as usual, Ron had a dream.
~*~
He knew the ruins had once been a house, a great house standing proud and tall, comforting and warm. He knew the house had been destroyed by evil. He knew James and Lily Potter had once called this house home.
Sirius, Harry, and Hermione were standing by the ruins. Ron never saw himself in visions or dreams. He supposed it was taboo to have visions of one's own fate. However, he was sure that when this actually happened, he would be there as well.
It happened so suddenly Ron wasn't even expecting it. He was almost startled out of sleep. A group of Death Eaters swooped onto the premises, and curses flew everywhere. Ron watched in horror as Harry, Hermione, and Sirius, caught unaware, tried desperately to fight back. Then he saw Lily and James trying to protect their son, but unable to do anything...
~*~
Ron woke up with a start, and his eyes searched the room, a foreboding chilling his heart. If he had just seen the future, Harry could NOT go visit the house in Godric's Hollow. He hated to think of trying to explain why, but he knew it had to be done.
The next morning, Ron was still pondering how he was going to explain his conclusions to Harry in a way that would make him understand. Harry was extremely stubborn at times, and Ron knew he wouldn't give up this opportunity without a fight.
He decided to talk to Harry before breakfast. He wanted to get everything over with as soon as possible, without a lot of people around.
"Harry," He said, somewhat nervously.
"Yeah?" Harry asked, giving Ron a weird look. It was not at all in his nature to be nervous with Harry.
"Um..." Ron opened his mouth, knowing what he was going to say. He had a speech planned out. I had a dream last night, and I saw you at Godric's Hollow at your parents' house. You were attacked. Ron's mind said the words, his mouth opened.
"I'm starving, let's get to breakfast,"
Harry raised an eyebrow at Ron's words. The change in his was amazing. At first had been acting somewhat apprehensive. Now he was just his normal self, comfortable and confident. Harry shrugged.
"Sounds fine to me,"
Ron tried with all his will power to stay standing and explain, but he realized he was walking next to Harry and talking about Quidditch.
Ron was trying with all his strength to tell Harry, to do what he had planned. This was more than just not bringing himself to tell his best friend about the dream, it was like he had no control whatsoever of what he was doing. It was like being under the Imperious Curse but in complete control of his wits, just not his actions.
In the middle of breakfast he finally managed to break away from the table and run out of the Great Hall to the bathroom. He needed to tell someone...ANYONE! He had tried talking to Hermione, Ginny, and Neville, but the words never came. His head was pounding and spinning, his blood was rushing through his veins at an ungodly speed and at that moment he was sure he was going to explode...
"Weasley!" Draco yelled, materializing out of nowhere. "Are you okay?"
"Voldemort is going to attack Godric's Hollow when Harry visits!" Ron shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Cool it man," Draco snapped in a reproachful voice. "Why don't you go tell him?"
"I...I can't," Ron sighed, closing his eyes.
"What do you mean you can't?" Draco demanded, his eyebrows arched.
"I mean I can't! The words won't come! It's like I'm under Imperious, I have no control over my actions, like I...I'm-"
"Possessed." Draco finished. It was not a question. Ron looked up in surprise.
"Yeah," Ron said. "Yeah, that's exactly what it's like. How did you...?"
"The marble," Draco said, nodding his head toward Ron's clenched hand. Rather surprised, the redhead looked down and realized the marble was within the member in question, the colors swirling at a rate so fast he couldn't tell one from the next. He looked up at Draco in horror.
"Do you think...this is like Tom Riddle's diary all over again?" Ron whispered.
"Just put it down, Ron," Draco instructed. "Just leave it here and forget about it. It's hardly dangerous if not in the hands of a Divinator, I'm sure."
"I...I can't, Draco," Ron realized as he tried to tear his eyes away from the small spherical object in his hand. When he finally succeeded his desperately blue eyes met the empty, transparent orbs of Draco Malfoy.
"This could be a problem," Draco muttered.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What is WRONG with him?" Hermione cried for the millionth time in as many weeks. Harry just sighed as he watched Ron run out of the Hall.
"I don't know, 'Mione," He said. "It sounded like he wanted to say something to me this morning, but he just couldn't get it out."
"I wonder...was he going to tell you?" Hermione wondered out loud. Harry shrugged and went back to his eggs. He had other things on his mind that morning.
He was going over the speech again and again in his mind as he started slowly walking toward the gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office. He walked into the familiar office looking around with the childish curiosity it always inspired. However, he was feeling rather nervous. How does one start a conversation like this anyway?
"Ah, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said coming in from a side door and causing Harry to jump.
"Headmaster," Harry nodded, composing himself. Dumbledore gestured for him to sit, then lowered himself into his own chair behind the desk.
"Now," Dumbledore said, and Harry gulped as the headmaster fixed him with that familiar penetrating stare. "I know you wanted to ask something of me, Mr. Potter. Let's not beat around the bush. Tea?"
"Huh?" Harry blinked as a platter laden with a silver tea set appeared on the desk where an abstract paperweight had once been. "Uh...sure..." Harry said, nodding as the headmaster gestured to the sugar and concluded that this was certainly one of the strangest conversations he had ever had, which was really saying something.
"Go ahead, I'm listening," Dumbledore said, handing Harry his tea and fixing a cup for himself.
"Er, well...I was talking to Sirius and Lu-I mean, Professor Starlight-"
"You may call her Luna, Harry," Dumbledore interrupted. "She is your coach as well as your professor."
"Um...okay," Harry replied. "Anyway, I was talking to Sirius and...er...Luna. And Luna...it just came up in conversation that...um...she suggested..."
"What did she suggest?" Dumbledore asked encouragingly, looking at Harry curiously. He gulped.
"That I go see my parent's house in Godric's Hollow," Harry said quickly, his voice soft and his eye on the ground. When he raised them he saw Dumbledore raise his bushy gray eyebrows and continued quickly, "So, of course, Sirius said I would have to ask you for permission, and-"
"No, he didn't," Dumbledore interrupted with a sigh. Harry blinked.
"What?"
"Sirius didn't send you down here for permission," Dumbledore said. "He sent you down here for the truth."
"The truth?" Harry echoed in confusion. He met Dumbledore's eyes and saw how very tired the old man was.
"Harry," He sighed again. "It is time I told you a story. A story that took place many years ago, and that I should've told the moment you entered this school." Harry decided not to say anything. He simply watched with intense curiosity, and after a few moment the headmaster began to speak.
"Hard as it is to believe, Harry, I was young once. I was young and rich and powerful, from one of the oldest and most prestigious families in magical history. And not only was I young, rich and powerful, but I was in love. Head over heels with a woman named Maria Spartan. Maria came from a long line of wizardry, just like me. And we were married when I was eighteen, just after she graduated from Hogwarts.
"Maria's father was involved from the beginning with the anti-Muggle movement of the 1860's. Yes, Harry, I am that old I must admit. I didn't have any convictions about Muggles or Muggleborns back then, they weren't important. So when my I married a woman with anti-Muggle sentiments I didn't think much of it. As a matter of fact, I got rather caught up in it myself.
"I was...I was overjoyed when I learned Maria was going to have a child," Dumbledore's eyes became rather wet as he spoke. "We had a little boy, and I wanted to name him Albus after myself. But...but our son was a squib. Maria wouldn't have anything to do with the child. And I...I didn't have the guts to stand up for her. I did, however, convince her not to kill the child. We gave it to a Muggle orphanage.
"Maria did three year later giving birth to our second child, a daughter, who I named after her mother. And as I watched my daughter grow up, I began to think more and more about my abandoned son. I never did have the guts to go find him, but I did vow to protect all non-magical people from that moment on. I raised Maria to have the same values, and she grew up at Hogwarts since I had become the Transfiguration professor there.
"It was Maria's daughter Elizabeth who married Matthew. I was very fond of Elizabeth, who was my only grandchild, and Matthew was a fine upstanding youth and had been one of my best students. Maria died just before the birth of their first son, my great-grandson. His name..."
For the first time in the narrative Dumbledore faltered. His eyes lowered to his hands and Harry could see for the first time that they were shaking. He couldn't imagine what inspired such emotion. When the headmaster looked up again met Harry's eyes, the pupil could see tears shining. "His name was James. James Edward Potter. Your father. I...I am your great-great-grandfather, Harry."
If Harry had been sitting, he would've fallen. If he had been holding something, he would've dropped it. If he had been drinking something, he would've spit it out. In his current state he could do nothing but pale several shades and let his jaw drop.
The shock's numbing effect softened just enough for Harry to get a taste of the emotions that soon hit him at full force. Surprise, happiness, confusion, and more than anything else, anger. Why hadn't Dumbledore told him? Why had he left his great-great-grandson with the Dursleys on the pretense that they were his "only living relatives" when Dumbledore could've just taken him in? Why...?
"I...I..." Harry stuttered, unable to think of something to say. Dumbledore sighed and met Harry's eyes.
"Yes, you may go to Godric's Hollow on April 17, I believe that is a Hogsmeade Saturday. I suggest you go to your common room and think, Harry. I know...I know this is a lot to take in one sitting."
"Yes," Harry managed to mumble, and numbly turned and stumbled out of the room, his mind still spinning with questions.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It had been six days since Harry learned the truth about Dumbledore. He was walking around still in a sort of daze. It was obvious that Sirius had known the whole time, and he shot his godson an apologetic look as the Defenders sat down for a meeting on Friday evening after dinner.
"I'm assuming everyone here knows," Luna said without preamble, her gaze resting on Harry. Everyone there did know. He had gathered them all together the day after his interview with Dumbledore and explained the situation. No one really knew how to react, and Harry was just getting used to the idea.
"Well...er...yeah," Cho finally said. Luna nodded.
"Alright, down to business!" She paired them off and they began to duel. Ron, who still hadn't been able to break out of whatever spell the marble had placed on him, still hadn't been able to tell Harry about the vision of the attack at Godric's Hollow. Therefore, he wasn't all too happy when he was partnered to duel with Harry.
"C'mon, Weasley," Harry said joking. "Give me all you got!" They started dueling. Harry was winning, of course. It's hard to pay attention to a duel when you are continually getting hit with bursts of electric shock. Confound Harry and his Lightening Defender powers!
Frustrated, Ron shouted out the first spell that came to mind and got in a lucky strike. It happened to be the tickling spell, and Harry fell to the ground, clutching his sides in laughter. The scene was so humorous that everyone else stopped, and Ron just grinned as Harry begged for mercy, practically crying from laughing so hard.
Eventually Ron lifted the spell and extended a hand to help Harry up. It was as Ron was pulling him into a vertical position that he saw the glint of gold on his best friend's neck.
"What's this, Harry?" He teased. "Wearing jewelry now, are we?"
"It was my mother's," Harry explained, taking the locket out from under his shirt. Ron felt strangely attracted to the necklace. He slowly reached out his hand, getting nearer and nearer until the only thing in his vision was the locket...
A jolt of pain raced up his arm as his hand brushed the gold. He screamed in agony, tearing his burnt hand from the locket and breathing heavily.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" Hermione cried, running to Ron and expecting his hand. There was a swelling red welt where his hand had touched the gold. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, but Hermione quickly pulled out her wand and healed the wound. She turned to Harry with her eyes wide.
"Is it charmed?" She demanded. "Cursed?"
"I don't know!" Harry exclaimed, looking down at the locket in surprise. Looking between the too of them Neville approached Harry and tentatively laid a finger on the locket.
Nothing happened.
"What does this mean, Luna?" Ginny asked anxiously, as Cho looked between Ron and Harry with a mixture of confusion and fright.
"I don't know," Their coach whispered, her eyes wide.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ginny wanted to be alone. Nowhere in the castle could she find the solitude she wanted. She found herself wandering through the corridors, and eventually to the oak doors of the Entrance Hall. After looking around to make sure no one was going to follow, she slipped outside.
Although the snow had begun to melt, a white blanket still covered mot of the grounds. The sun was shining and the only sound was the whispering of the wind. Ginny shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. The breeze was bitterly cold.
"Cold?" A deep voice asked. Ginny jumped, for a moment she swore it was Draco's voice. Turning, she identified the speaker as Harry Potter. He was leaning against the castle wall, looking out at the forest, his cloak fluttering in the breeze.
"What are you doing out here?" She asked in surprise.
"Thinking," Harry shrugged. "But unlike some people, I cam prepared. It's freezing out here Ginny, you're going to catch pneumonia." Before she could think of a reply, Harry had taken off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"Thank you," Ginny whispered. Harry smiled, then turned and sat down on the steps. Ginny followed his example, drawing the cloak around her as she sat down. Her nose was still cold, but the rest of her was pleasantly warm. Harry's cloak was much too large, but that just made it all the warmer. Wrapping her arms around her knees she could small Harry's distinct scent from the cloak; soap, pine, and something sweet. She liked it.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked, her eyes not leaving the grounds as she studied the breathtaking scenery. She had a great view from this vantage point.
"I don't know. Life, I guess." Intrigued, Ginny turned. Harry's head was hanging down, his eyes coldly regarding the stone steps in an unwavering stare. "And death. It's hard to think about life without wondering about death too."
"Yeah," Ginny suddenly looked away, embarrassed. The conversation was, to put it lightly, somewhat uncomfortable. A breeze lifted her hair and Ginny felt Harry shiver next to her. She immediately felt guilty for intruding on his thoughts and stealing his cloak too.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here," She said quickly, fumbling with the cloak as she stood up. Harry leapt to his feet and grabbed her wrist.
"No Ginny, wait," He said. "Don't go."
"Thank you for letting me borrow the cloak," She said, wrenching free from his grasp and holding his cloak out to him. He didn't take it.
"It's going to be okay, Ginny," He said gently.
"I don't know what you're talking about," She replied.
"Yes you do," He said, his eyes not leaving hers. "Draco." It was the first time she had ever heard Harry speak his name. His eyes were boring into hers, searching. Ginny broke eye contact and turned away, holding the cloak to her. No, it most certainly was NOT going to be okay! She heard Harry sigh from behind her.
"Ginny-" He began. She interrupted by whirling around and holding a hand up to silence him.
"Don't Harry. Don't even try. You have to idea what this is like for me." She saw his eyes narrow.
"You know Ginny, you're not the only one who's ever lost someone." Ginny flinched visibly at his voice. She hadn't realized she hit such a tender spot.
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"Well that's sure what it sounded like," Harry snapped. She sighed in exasperation.
"Harry-"
"Ginny, let me tell you something I had to learn the hard way." He took a step toward her, taking his cloak and setting it carefully on the ground. Standing, he took her hands in his. Warning bells began ringing in Ginny's mind, but she ignored them. She was intensely curious about what he had to say.
"I never knew my parents," Harry began. "But when I came here, to this place..." His eyes swept the grounds so she couldn't mistake his meaning. "I learned everything about them I had ever wondered about and more. It was like losing them all over again. But Ginny-" he pulled her closer and his eyes were coming alive as she searched them with her own. "Ginny, I had to learn to trust other people. Sure, no one will be able to replace my parents, but I've got Sirius and Luna and Dumbledore."
"So what are you saying?" Ginny asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm saying that it's okay to remember Draco. It wouldn't be right if you didn't. But one day..." Harry leaned even closer, and Ginny's breath quickened. "Maybe you can learn to love someone else."
"Ginny was never certain on who kissed whom. At the time, it didn't matter. She hadn't felt this way since Draco died. At that moment, in his arms, Harry Potter was all that mattered.
Standing in what would've been plain view, watching with a surge of emotions, was the intangible Draco Malfoy. He had known since he died that Ginny was meant for Harry all along, that in the game of destiny he had only been a pawn to insure that Ginny and Harry fell in love, but still...
Turning, he left them in the solitude they believed they had enjoyed the whole time, wrapped in one another's arms as the wind lifted Ginny's fiery hair around Harry's face and their forms seemed to melt together.