Chapter Four – Secrets, Revealed and Secrets, Shared.
Remus Lupin surveyed his three companions, two of whom were sitting
looking up at him expectantly. They were waiting for him to follow
through on his promise to explain everything to them. The only problem
was that would mean breaking another promise. A promise he had made to
Albus Dumbledore, his mentor, and for most of his life, who before he
had joined the order had been the only person other than the other
marauders who had ever treated him as they would treat anyone else even
though he was a werewolf.
He had agreed that he (along with Tonks) would guard Ginny and Harry
and care for their well being whilst they were in hiding in Africa.
However, he had also agreed that he would not share with them the full
reasons why it was they had had to come into hiding. That was where
the dilemma lay.
How could he see to their well being when they (especially Ginny) did
not know why it was they had to be there, and were fighting with them
to find out why it was, to such an extent that they were refusing to do
the things they needed to do like learn to use their skills to protect
themselves and others? A quick glance over at Tonks showed that the
capable young Auror agreed with his plan to tell them. The only
problem that remained them was how to tell them - and where exactly to
start.
"All right, I said I would tell you, and I will. But Harry, you
already know part of the reason why you have had to come here. Or at
least, that's what Dumbledore said when I last spoke to him, he said he
had explained to you about the prophecy."
The sixteen year old nodded at this. He was secretly glad that there
was somebody else here who knew about the prophecy and so he didn't
have to keep it all to himself any longer. "Pro- Remus" he corrected
himself quickly "I'm glad he told you about that, but there's got to be
more to it then that."
That said the Boy Who Lived went to continue but then he did notice,
however, that the look of confusion on Ginny's face was mirrored on
Tonks' face too. "Gin, I know that you don't have much of an idea what
we're talking about with the prophecy other than the fact that there is
one and I'm guessing from the look on your face, Tonks, that you don't
either?"
"I know there was a prophecy about you and You-Know-Who, I saw it in
the Department of Mysteries but I thought that prophecy had been
destroyed? That's what Neville said in the hospital wing just before
the end of term." Ginny questioned.
Tonks nodded in agreement "Albus told us that there was no longer any
need to guard the Department of Mysteries because the prophecy He Who
Must Not Be Named was after had been destroyed in the fight. But that
was all he told us, I take it from what you two have said," she
gestured to the two men, "that there's more to it than that?"
Harry looked at the Auror he had known little more than a year and at
his best friend's younger sister who he had only just began to consider
a friend in her own right and came to a decision. He could trust both
of them with his life, they had shown that loyalty and bravery during
the fight at the end of his fifth year. That fight had come about
because of secrets that had been kept and he didn't want that to happen
again.
He got up from the chair Lupin had forced him into when he had tried to
flee the room grateful that nobody tried to stop him moving this time,
and began to pace around trying to come up with the best way to say
this.
Stopping in front of the older man he stated: "I'm going to tell them.
I don't care what Dumbledore thinks is best I need them to know. He
might be able to deal with something like this without talking to
anyone but I can't, I need my friends and they're probably the best
people to deal with this, better equipped even than Ron or Hermione."
Pleased as she was, and even honoured that Harry was choosing to share
what was obviously quite a big and important secret with her, Ginny was
quite shocked to hear Harry say that he thought she would be able to
deal with it better then her brother or Hermione who were his two best
friends.
Looking at Ginny he said "Neville was right when he said the prophecy
was destroyed. But that was only the official record of it.
Dumbledore was the one to hear it, so he showed me a copy of it he has
in his Pensieve." It seemed as though Ginny was going to say something
at that point but all Harry wanted at that moment was to get this over
with so he held up a hand to stop her before continuing, "Turns out
that Trelawney is not the old fraud she appears to be. She just
happens to have given two true prophecies. One that I heard during my
divination exam at the end of my third year. And the other real
prediction she gave... sixteen years ago, just before I was born."
At that point he did stop, unsure that this was the best idea but
knowing that he needed to talk about it Harry looked to his former
professor for help. Just as Lupin was about to suggest to the boy, no,
young man that he take over the task of explaining the full details of
the prophecy to their two companions Ginny got up off of the couch
where she had been sitting listening to them talk. She slipped in
front of the chair in which Harry was sitting with his head bowed
staring at the floor and crouched down.
"It's OK Harry," she said softly, taking his hands in hers and
squeezing them. "Whatever it is, we can deal with it together. You
don't have to do this by yourself any more."
Looking up he could see that Tonks was nodding her agreement with what
Ginny had said "I'm behind you 100% Harry, whatever happens." she
added.
Harry squeezed Ginny's hands back once more and then pulled away from
her, got up and starting pacing the room once more. Once he had made
one full circuit of the small living room in which they sat he took a
deep breath and without any preamble began to recite what he could
remember of the Prophecy that had changed his life forever:
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born
to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month
dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will
have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand
of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one
with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the
seventh month dies..."
Once he had finished he fell silent but continued to pace around the
room restlessly, without looking at anyone else.
He had heard Tonks' sharp intake of breath as she realised just what
the prophecy meant – that he would have no peace until either he died
or he killed Voldemort - but had chosen to ignore it, wrongly assuming
her reaction would be pity and feeling unable to deal with more pity at
the present time.
The four of them sat in silence for quite some time. Ginny and Tonks
both needing time to take in and digest what they had just heard.
Harry was pacing the room non-stop, aimless wandering from one part to
another, giving no clear indication of what he was thinking or looking
at anybody either and Remus simply sitting.
Remus knew exactly what the two young women were going through having
taken a period of several hours to fully digest quite what the prophecy
meant for the wizarding world and for the young boy he would do
anything for in particular.
He also realised that Harry was very disturbed by this knowledge and
the events of the last several years and needed help to learn that he
wasn't alone and to deal with them with the help of those around him.
He simply couldn't do it alone, nor could Remus alone convince him of
that fact. So for the moment he simply sat waiting for the time when
either Harry was ready to talk some more or Ginny or Tonks forced his
hand and reached out and made him open up to them.
Eventually Tonks grew weary of the silence that had surrounded them for
more time then she was comfortable with and spoke up. "Are you ever
planning to stop pacing, Harry?" she demanded of him for he seemed
unable to stop moving. "You're making my legs ache just watching you."
She added, patting the space on the sofa next to her and indicating
that he should sit there. Once he was sitting next to her she asked,
"Is there anything you want? Anything I can do for you?"
He laughed bitterly in response to that. "What do I want? To go back
in time and erase that day. I wish I had never heard that damn
prophecy and I need Sirius, he shouldn't have died, it's all my fault!"
Knowing that they would think otherwise, he tried to convince them
that he was right, that it was his fault as he continued. "He died
because I was so bloody stupid and naïve, Hermione was right, I do have
a saving people thing, I should know better."
Ginny had been feeling very angry ever since Harry had finished
explaining the prophecy. She wasn't angry with him. She was angry at
the world. He had lost everything and everyone he had ever cared
about. Done more for the wizarding world in the five years he had been
a part of it then most fully grown adults did in their whole lifetime.
But still more was expected of him. So much was expected of him that
he might even have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
When she heard him say that Hermione was right and he should stop
trying to save people she lost it and jumped up from her seat. "Don't
you dare say that Harry Potter!" she fumed. "What about me? If it
wasn't for you I would have died, I should have died, at the end of my
first year." Coming to stand next to where Harry sat with Tonks she
stopped, silent tears for the boy she loved streaming down her face,
and added so quietly he had to strain to hear it, "Thanks for that.
Guess I should have said that years ago, but still, better late then
never, Mum always says." She had meant to stop here but noticing that
Harry still wasn't convinced by what she said she forced herself to
continue even though it was difficult for her. As she continued she
inwardly cursed their mutual friend whose thoughtless, well meant
comment had obviously caused the boy they both would do anything for
endless hours of agony even though he had tried to hide it.
"And what about Hermione herself? I remember hearing a story from Ron
about how you and him rescued Hermione from a troll at the Halloween
feast in your first year. Knowing my brother as I do, I can't believe
that was his idea." she finished half laughing at the idea of Ron
feeling the need to go save the bushy haired bookworm who he had hated
the first time they met, and half crying for the agonies Harry had had
to endure alone.
Harry still sat there in silence trying to take in what she had said
when Remus spoke up.
"Harry, she's right. If you didn't have what a certain Miss Granger
calls your 'saving people thing' young Ginny here would be six feet
under rather then here with us today. The fact that you care about the
people you know, even people you barely know, so much that you would
put yourself at risk to save them is part of what makes you who you
are. It is part of 'the power the Dark Lord knows not'. It's why we
love and care for you!" It was hard for Remus to talk about this, but
he knew it needed to be said, that Harry needed to hear it.
"Hermione should never have said that to you, it wasn't fair of her.
Yes, Sirius died. But he enjoyed that fight; he was bored stuck in the
dreary old house all the time. When we heard of the fight you should
have seen him. He was worried about you, scared he would lose you but
he was happy that he would be able to do something, that he would be
able to help you. Sirius would have done anything for you, he wouldn't
want you to sit around like this blaming yourself."
As Remus had been speaking Tonks had got up from her seat and moved to
slip an arm around Ginny who was still crying quietly to herself,
leaving him free to claim the spare seat next to Harry before
continuing. "One day back last year when Sirius and I were by
ourselves in Grimmauld Place, he asked me to promise him something. He
made me promise that I would do everything in my power to look after
you if something happened to him."
Tears filled Harry's eyes as he heard this and he surreptitiously tried
to brush the back of his hand across his eyes to get rid of them.
Pretending not to have noticed this, Remus continued "seeing you trying
to deal with all this by yourself, so obviously unhappy, I can't help
feeling like I'm failing him, like I'm not keeping that promise. Your
parents and Sirius didn't die so you could live a miserable life. They
wouldn't want you to blame yourself, they loved you and would want you
to be happy." He awkwardly reached out and placed an arm on Harry's
shoulder, the closest gesture of support and affection he dared allow
himself at that moment. He would have liked to hug the boy he
considered his honorary godson but wasn't sure Harry was ready for that
quite yet.
Tonks nodded. "You are not to blame for any of the stuff that has ever
happened to you Harry. No matter what you may think, no matter what
anyone has ever said to you, it wasn't your fault. None of this was."
Harry knew that what they said was true. It was just so hard for him
to believe it sometimes. Feeling a little self-conscious and wanting
to take their attention away from him, he asked, "I still don't get it
though, not completely. And what about Ginny? That doesn't explain
why she had to come too."
"Dumbledore felt that the best way for you to learn to defend yourself
properly and to have the best chance of surviving a final encounter
with Voldemort was if you were to receive some special advanced one to
one training." Tonks explained. "Ginny seeing as you're here you'll
also be learning some of the stuff we'll be teaching Harry because you
could probably benefit from it, but not all of it. There should never
be any need for that." Then thinking again of the events the previous
June at the ministry of magic and the fact that Ginny (or any of his
friends) was unlikely to leave Harry to face a battle with Voldemort by
himself, added "or at least I certainly hope not."
Seeing confusion on Ginny's face, Remus quickly intervened and took
over the explanation feeling that Ginny should hear the full story
before deciding whether to share it with Harry or not. "That's not the
full reason why we brought you here; if you want to go into your room
I'll explain it to you in private."
The redhead shook her head at that, her long vibrant hair flying around
and covering her face before she abruptly brushed it away. "No,
whatever it is, tell me here. Harry shared the prophecy with Tonks and
me; I want them to know about this too. No matter what it is, I want
them to know."
"That's fine Ginny, if that's what you want. If you change your mind
and want to stop at any time all you have to do is say, ok?"
"No, this is what I want. I won't change my mind." Said Ginny,
resolutely.
"Have you ever noticed that you can tell how people are feeling?" he
asked her, "like you can feel something from them that no one else can?
And you just know instinctively what to do about it?"
"I... I guess so." The girl replied. This was not what she had been
expecting and so she had been caught more than a little off guard. He
was right though, she had noticed that the sort of stuff he mentioned
happened to her, she had noticed it more than once in the last years
but she had thought it was her secret, she had thought nobody else knew
of her talent.
"Dumbledore pointed out your gift to me. He's noticed, and so has
Professor McGonagall, since you've been at Hogwarts that other students
who might be homesick, or having difficulties adjusting to life at
school (or in the wizarding world in general) are drawn to you and that
you just consciously make them feel better." At this point, Lupin
thought it seemed as though Ginny wanted to say something and so paused
but she simply gestured for him to go on with his explanation.
"Then I started thinking about it too, thinking about the year I taught
at Hogwarts and about last summer. Obviously there is no point in me
trying to hide the fact that I am a werewolf, you all know that. But
even before you knew of my condition, when I was teaching and trying to
hide how badly I was feeling around the times of the full moon, being
around you would make me feel better. You would always come up to me
at the beginning or the end of a class when I was feeling my worst and
ask if I was all right. I would always say yes and usually that would
have been a lie but there was something about your very presence that
could make a difference to me and for the next hour or so, I always
would feel better – almost as though I was back to normal. It was as
though I could forget about the moon and my transformation."
"So I'm good with people who are having a tough time? Big deal. And
you can't seriously expect me to believe that just my being in the room
with you made you feel so much better, nobody could do that." Scoffed
Ginny, not wanting to believe what she was being told.
"Actually, there are certain people who can do that sort of thing.
They're just very rare, so you probably wouldn't have heard of them.
It would seem Ginny, that you possess the gift of Empathic Magic. You
are an Innate Healer and you must learn to control that gift. That is
why you are here."
"Innate Healer? What does that mean? Why do I have to be here to learn
about it? Why do I even have to learn about it, what if I don't want
to?" Questions spilled from Ginny, she didn't know what to make of
everything she had heard today, not just about her supposed gift but
about the prophecy too.
"Innate means natural, it means this is a natural skill you were born
with. It means that you could with a little training be a stronger
healer with your empathetic powers then any of the non-empathic healers
at St Mungo's or any other hospital."
Before he continued he hoped that Albus Dumbledore would understand the
fact that by allowing Harry to share the full details of the prophecy
with Ginny and Tonks and by telling Ginny any more about her gift then
what he already had, he had broken the promise he had made him. He
knew this next bit was going to be difficult for the youngest Weasley
to take in, but unlike Dumbledore, he believed it was important for her
to know it.
"And as for why you have to learn about it, you don't, but do you
really want to deny yourself something that is your destiny? You could
be the best healer in the world in centuries if you put your mind to
it, you would be the only innate healer in Britain since the war with
Grindelwald." He could see that he had caught Ginny's attention that
she really was quite interested in what he was saying.
"Ok so I lied, I would like to learn about it. Even if it does mean I
can't be an Auror like I wanted to be. But did I have to come here to
learn to use this gift; couldn't I have learnt it at Hogwarts with
Madam Pomfrey? And if I couldn't have stayed at Hogwarts, why did I
have to go into hiding with you guys? Even if I do have to be here, if
I wasn't in hiding then I could still have kept in touch with everyone,
even seen them sometimes!"
"Ginny, this really is for the best so I need you to listen carefully
to what I've got to say and to hear me out. If after I've finished you
still want to go back to your parents, I will speak to Dumbledore about
the possibility of that; but I can't promise he will agree to it and I
know your parents have already decided to do whatever Dumbledore
recommends is best for you and Ron. Fair enough?"
"Alright, go on then."
"As you may or may not know, I know that Harry knows, but I don't know
if he shared it with you or not, Professor Snape used to be a death
eater and is currently spying for the order in their ranks."
The sharp intake of breath from Ginny and the look on her face showed
that this was in fact something that neither Harry nor his friends had
shared with Ginny.
"Now, that is something you must never ever tell anyone because
Professor Snape's life could depend on it." Watching as both Ginny and
Harry nodded their understanding of the seriousness of this he smiled
gratefully at them and then continued. "He has given the Order reason
to believe that Wormtail noticed your talent, Ginny, when he was living
as Scabbers with your family and told Voldemort of it in passing, not
realising exactly what it was. Snape believes though that Voldemort
correctly identified it as empathy and healing and brought details to
Dumbledore of plans to kidnap you and force you to use your innate
skills against your will to benefit Voldemort in his plans to take over
the world."
"Well... well, I guess I'd better stay here then." With that Ginny burst
into tears and moved to leave the room.
Surprising all of his companions not least himself, Harry reacted to
Ginny's tears by doing something that he had been wishing he could do
for the last days. He wrapped his arms around the younger girl in a
hug and he too burst into tears for everyone he had lost.
Tonks stood there for a minute watching the two teens crying for
everything and everyone that had been taken from them and for the
futures they no longer believed they would have before she went into
the kitchen, taking Remus with her to allow them some space to deal
with this in private.
Harry and Ginny stayed as they were, each crying and drawing comfort
and support from the presence of the other for quite sometime.
Two hours later Tonks decided that she had better check on them and
found them curled up together on the sofa, having cried themselves into
an exhausted sleep.
Not wanting to disturb them, she conjured blankets and covered them up.
She then sat in a chair so that she could be near them when then woke
and sat there looking down at the two teens she considered her honorary
younger brother and sister, thought of how unfair life had been to
them. They would never have to be strong for her, she vowed. She
would help them through this.
Remus Lupin surveyed his three companions, two of whom were sitting
looking up at him expectantly. They were waiting for him to follow
through on his promise to explain everything to them. The only problem
was that would mean breaking another promise. A promise he had made to
Albus Dumbledore, his mentor, and for most of his life, who before he
had joined the order had been the only person other than the other
marauders who had ever treated him as they would treat anyone else even
though he was a werewolf.
He had agreed that he (along with Tonks) would guard Ginny and Harry
and care for their well being whilst they were in hiding in Africa.
However, he had also agreed that he would not share with them the full
reasons why it was they had had to come into hiding. That was where
the dilemma lay.
How could he see to their well being when they (especially Ginny) did
not know why it was they had to be there, and were fighting with them
to find out why it was, to such an extent that they were refusing to do
the things they needed to do like learn to use their skills to protect
themselves and others? A quick glance over at Tonks showed that the
capable young Auror agreed with his plan to tell them. The only
problem that remained them was how to tell them - and where exactly to
start.
"All right, I said I would tell you, and I will. But Harry, you
already know part of the reason why you have had to come here. Or at
least, that's what Dumbledore said when I last spoke to him, he said he
had explained to you about the prophecy."
The sixteen year old nodded at this. He was secretly glad that there
was somebody else here who knew about the prophecy and so he didn't
have to keep it all to himself any longer. "Pro- Remus" he corrected
himself quickly "I'm glad he told you about that, but there's got to be
more to it then that."
That said the Boy Who Lived went to continue but then he did notice,
however, that the look of confusion on Ginny's face was mirrored on
Tonks' face too. "Gin, I know that you don't have much of an idea what
we're talking about with the prophecy other than the fact that there is
one and I'm guessing from the look on your face, Tonks, that you don't
either?"
"I know there was a prophecy about you and You-Know-Who, I saw it in
the Department of Mysteries but I thought that prophecy had been
destroyed? That's what Neville said in the hospital wing just before
the end of term." Ginny questioned.
Tonks nodded in agreement "Albus told us that there was no longer any
need to guard the Department of Mysteries because the prophecy He Who
Must Not Be Named was after had been destroyed in the fight. But that
was all he told us, I take it from what you two have said," she
gestured to the two men, "that there's more to it than that?"
Harry looked at the Auror he had known little more than a year and at
his best friend's younger sister who he had only just began to consider
a friend in her own right and came to a decision. He could trust both
of them with his life, they had shown that loyalty and bravery during
the fight at the end of his fifth year. That fight had come about
because of secrets that had been kept and he didn't want that to happen
again.
He got up from the chair Lupin had forced him into when he had tried to
flee the room grateful that nobody tried to stop him moving this time,
and began to pace around trying to come up with the best way to say
this.
Stopping in front of the older man he stated: "I'm going to tell them.
I don't care what Dumbledore thinks is best I need them to know. He
might be able to deal with something like this without talking to
anyone but I can't, I need my friends and they're probably the best
people to deal with this, better equipped even than Ron or Hermione."
Pleased as she was, and even honoured that Harry was choosing to share
what was obviously quite a big and important secret with her, Ginny was
quite shocked to hear Harry say that he thought she would be able to
deal with it better then her brother or Hermione who were his two best
friends.
Looking at Ginny he said "Neville was right when he said the prophecy
was destroyed. But that was only the official record of it.
Dumbledore was the one to hear it, so he showed me a copy of it he has
in his Pensieve." It seemed as though Ginny was going to say something
at that point but all Harry wanted at that moment was to get this over
with so he held up a hand to stop her before continuing, "Turns out
that Trelawney is not the old fraud she appears to be. She just
happens to have given two true prophecies. One that I heard during my
divination exam at the end of my third year. And the other real
prediction she gave... sixteen years ago, just before I was born."
At that point he did stop, unsure that this was the best idea but
knowing that he needed to talk about it Harry looked to his former
professor for help. Just as Lupin was about to suggest to the boy, no,
young man that he take over the task of explaining the full details of
the prophecy to their two companions Ginny got up off of the couch
where she had been sitting listening to them talk. She slipped in
front of the chair in which Harry was sitting with his head bowed
staring at the floor and crouched down.
"It's OK Harry," she said softly, taking his hands in hers and
squeezing them. "Whatever it is, we can deal with it together. You
don't have to do this by yourself any more."
Looking up he could see that Tonks was nodding her agreement with what
Ginny had said "I'm behind you 100% Harry, whatever happens." she
added.
Harry squeezed Ginny's hands back once more and then pulled away from
her, got up and starting pacing the room once more. Once he had made
one full circuit of the small living room in which they sat he took a
deep breath and without any preamble began to recite what he could
remember of the Prophecy that had changed his life forever:
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born
to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month
dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will
have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand
of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one
with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the
seventh month dies..."
Once he had finished he fell silent but continued to pace around the
room restlessly, without looking at anyone else.
He had heard Tonks' sharp intake of breath as she realised just what
the prophecy meant – that he would have no peace until either he died
or he killed Voldemort - but had chosen to ignore it, wrongly assuming
her reaction would be pity and feeling unable to deal with more pity at
the present time.
The four of them sat in silence for quite some time. Ginny and Tonks
both needing time to take in and digest what they had just heard.
Harry was pacing the room non-stop, aimless wandering from one part to
another, giving no clear indication of what he was thinking or looking
at anybody either and Remus simply sitting.
Remus knew exactly what the two young women were going through having
taken a period of several hours to fully digest quite what the prophecy
meant for the wizarding world and for the young boy he would do
anything for in particular.
He also realised that Harry was very disturbed by this knowledge and
the events of the last several years and needed help to learn that he
wasn't alone and to deal with them with the help of those around him.
He simply couldn't do it alone, nor could Remus alone convince him of
that fact. So for the moment he simply sat waiting for the time when
either Harry was ready to talk some more or Ginny or Tonks forced his
hand and reached out and made him open up to them.
Eventually Tonks grew weary of the silence that had surrounded them for
more time then she was comfortable with and spoke up. "Are you ever
planning to stop pacing, Harry?" she demanded of him for he seemed
unable to stop moving. "You're making my legs ache just watching you."
She added, patting the space on the sofa next to her and indicating
that he should sit there. Once he was sitting next to her she asked,
"Is there anything you want? Anything I can do for you?"
He laughed bitterly in response to that. "What do I want? To go back
in time and erase that day. I wish I had never heard that damn
prophecy and I need Sirius, he shouldn't have died, it's all my fault!"
Knowing that they would think otherwise, he tried to convince them
that he was right, that it was his fault as he continued. "He died
because I was so bloody stupid and naïve, Hermione was right, I do have
a saving people thing, I should know better."
Ginny had been feeling very angry ever since Harry had finished
explaining the prophecy. She wasn't angry with him. She was angry at
the world. He had lost everything and everyone he had ever cared
about. Done more for the wizarding world in the five years he had been
a part of it then most fully grown adults did in their whole lifetime.
But still more was expected of him. So much was expected of him that
he might even have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
When she heard him say that Hermione was right and he should stop
trying to save people she lost it and jumped up from her seat. "Don't
you dare say that Harry Potter!" she fumed. "What about me? If it
wasn't for you I would have died, I should have died, at the end of my
first year." Coming to stand next to where Harry sat with Tonks she
stopped, silent tears for the boy she loved streaming down her face,
and added so quietly he had to strain to hear it, "Thanks for that.
Guess I should have said that years ago, but still, better late then
never, Mum always says." She had meant to stop here but noticing that
Harry still wasn't convinced by what she said she forced herself to
continue even though it was difficult for her. As she continued she
inwardly cursed their mutual friend whose thoughtless, well meant
comment had obviously caused the boy they both would do anything for
endless hours of agony even though he had tried to hide it.
"And what about Hermione herself? I remember hearing a story from Ron
about how you and him rescued Hermione from a troll at the Halloween
feast in your first year. Knowing my brother as I do, I can't believe
that was his idea." she finished half laughing at the idea of Ron
feeling the need to go save the bushy haired bookworm who he had hated
the first time they met, and half crying for the agonies Harry had had
to endure alone.
Harry still sat there in silence trying to take in what she had said
when Remus spoke up.
"Harry, she's right. If you didn't have what a certain Miss Granger
calls your 'saving people thing' young Ginny here would be six feet
under rather then here with us today. The fact that you care about the
people you know, even people you barely know, so much that you would
put yourself at risk to save them is part of what makes you who you
are. It is part of 'the power the Dark Lord knows not'. It's why we
love and care for you!" It was hard for Remus to talk about this, but
he knew it needed to be said, that Harry needed to hear it.
"Hermione should never have said that to you, it wasn't fair of her.
Yes, Sirius died. But he enjoyed that fight; he was bored stuck in the
dreary old house all the time. When we heard of the fight you should
have seen him. He was worried about you, scared he would lose you but
he was happy that he would be able to do something, that he would be
able to help you. Sirius would have done anything for you, he wouldn't
want you to sit around like this blaming yourself."
As Remus had been speaking Tonks had got up from her seat and moved to
slip an arm around Ginny who was still crying quietly to herself,
leaving him free to claim the spare seat next to Harry before
continuing. "One day back last year when Sirius and I were by
ourselves in Grimmauld Place, he asked me to promise him something. He
made me promise that I would do everything in my power to look after
you if something happened to him."
Tears filled Harry's eyes as he heard this and he surreptitiously tried
to brush the back of his hand across his eyes to get rid of them.
Pretending not to have noticed this, Remus continued "seeing you trying
to deal with all this by yourself, so obviously unhappy, I can't help
feeling like I'm failing him, like I'm not keeping that promise. Your
parents and Sirius didn't die so you could live a miserable life. They
wouldn't want you to blame yourself, they loved you and would want you
to be happy." He awkwardly reached out and placed an arm on Harry's
shoulder, the closest gesture of support and affection he dared allow
himself at that moment. He would have liked to hug the boy he
considered his honorary godson but wasn't sure Harry was ready for that
quite yet.
Tonks nodded. "You are not to blame for any of the stuff that has ever
happened to you Harry. No matter what you may think, no matter what
anyone has ever said to you, it wasn't your fault. None of this was."
Harry knew that what they said was true. It was just so hard for him
to believe it sometimes. Feeling a little self-conscious and wanting
to take their attention away from him, he asked, "I still don't get it
though, not completely. And what about Ginny? That doesn't explain
why she had to come too."
"Dumbledore felt that the best way for you to learn to defend yourself
properly and to have the best chance of surviving a final encounter
with Voldemort was if you were to receive some special advanced one to
one training." Tonks explained. "Ginny seeing as you're here you'll
also be learning some of the stuff we'll be teaching Harry because you
could probably benefit from it, but not all of it. There should never
be any need for that." Then thinking again of the events the previous
June at the ministry of magic and the fact that Ginny (or any of his
friends) was unlikely to leave Harry to face a battle with Voldemort by
himself, added "or at least I certainly hope not."
Seeing confusion on Ginny's face, Remus quickly intervened and took
over the explanation feeling that Ginny should hear the full story
before deciding whether to share it with Harry or not. "That's not the
full reason why we brought you here; if you want to go into your room
I'll explain it to you in private."
The redhead shook her head at that, her long vibrant hair flying around
and covering her face before she abruptly brushed it away. "No,
whatever it is, tell me here. Harry shared the prophecy with Tonks and
me; I want them to know about this too. No matter what it is, I want
them to know."
"That's fine Ginny, if that's what you want. If you change your mind
and want to stop at any time all you have to do is say, ok?"
"No, this is what I want. I won't change my mind." Said Ginny,
resolutely.
"Have you ever noticed that you can tell how people are feeling?" he
asked her, "like you can feel something from them that no one else can?
And you just know instinctively what to do about it?"
"I... I guess so." The girl replied. This was not what she had been
expecting and so she had been caught more than a little off guard. He
was right though, she had noticed that the sort of stuff he mentioned
happened to her, she had noticed it more than once in the last years
but she had thought it was her secret, she had thought nobody else knew
of her talent.
"Dumbledore pointed out your gift to me. He's noticed, and so has
Professor McGonagall, since you've been at Hogwarts that other students
who might be homesick, or having difficulties adjusting to life at
school (or in the wizarding world in general) are drawn to you and that
you just consciously make them feel better." At this point, Lupin
thought it seemed as though Ginny wanted to say something and so paused
but she simply gestured for him to go on with his explanation.
"Then I started thinking about it too, thinking about the year I taught
at Hogwarts and about last summer. Obviously there is no point in me
trying to hide the fact that I am a werewolf, you all know that. But
even before you knew of my condition, when I was teaching and trying to
hide how badly I was feeling around the times of the full moon, being
around you would make me feel better. You would always come up to me
at the beginning or the end of a class when I was feeling my worst and
ask if I was all right. I would always say yes and usually that would
have been a lie but there was something about your very presence that
could make a difference to me and for the next hour or so, I always
would feel better – almost as though I was back to normal. It was as
though I could forget about the moon and my transformation."
"So I'm good with people who are having a tough time? Big deal. And
you can't seriously expect me to believe that just my being in the room
with you made you feel so much better, nobody could do that." Scoffed
Ginny, not wanting to believe what she was being told.
"Actually, there are certain people who can do that sort of thing.
They're just very rare, so you probably wouldn't have heard of them.
It would seem Ginny, that you possess the gift of Empathic Magic. You
are an Innate Healer and you must learn to control that gift. That is
why you are here."
"Innate Healer? What does that mean? Why do I have to be here to learn
about it? Why do I even have to learn about it, what if I don't want
to?" Questions spilled from Ginny, she didn't know what to make of
everything she had heard today, not just about her supposed gift but
about the prophecy too.
"Innate means natural, it means this is a natural skill you were born
with. It means that you could with a little training be a stronger
healer with your empathetic powers then any of the non-empathic healers
at St Mungo's or any other hospital."
Before he continued he hoped that Albus Dumbledore would understand the
fact that by allowing Harry to share the full details of the prophecy
with Ginny and Tonks and by telling Ginny any more about her gift then
what he already had, he had broken the promise he had made him. He
knew this next bit was going to be difficult for the youngest Weasley
to take in, but unlike Dumbledore, he believed it was important for her
to know it.
"And as for why you have to learn about it, you don't, but do you
really want to deny yourself something that is your destiny? You could
be the best healer in the world in centuries if you put your mind to
it, you would be the only innate healer in Britain since the war with
Grindelwald." He could see that he had caught Ginny's attention that
she really was quite interested in what he was saying.
"Ok so I lied, I would like to learn about it. Even if it does mean I
can't be an Auror like I wanted to be. But did I have to come here to
learn to use this gift; couldn't I have learnt it at Hogwarts with
Madam Pomfrey? And if I couldn't have stayed at Hogwarts, why did I
have to go into hiding with you guys? Even if I do have to be here, if
I wasn't in hiding then I could still have kept in touch with everyone,
even seen them sometimes!"
"Ginny, this really is for the best so I need you to listen carefully
to what I've got to say and to hear me out. If after I've finished you
still want to go back to your parents, I will speak to Dumbledore about
the possibility of that; but I can't promise he will agree to it and I
know your parents have already decided to do whatever Dumbledore
recommends is best for you and Ron. Fair enough?"
"Alright, go on then."
"As you may or may not know, I know that Harry knows, but I don't know
if he shared it with you or not, Professor Snape used to be a death
eater and is currently spying for the order in their ranks."
The sharp intake of breath from Ginny and the look on her face showed
that this was in fact something that neither Harry nor his friends had
shared with Ginny.
"Now, that is something you must never ever tell anyone because
Professor Snape's life could depend on it." Watching as both Ginny and
Harry nodded their understanding of the seriousness of this he smiled
gratefully at them and then continued. "He has given the Order reason
to believe that Wormtail noticed your talent, Ginny, when he was living
as Scabbers with your family and told Voldemort of it in passing, not
realising exactly what it was. Snape believes though that Voldemort
correctly identified it as empathy and healing and brought details to
Dumbledore of plans to kidnap you and force you to use your innate
skills against your will to benefit Voldemort in his plans to take over
the world."
"Well... well, I guess I'd better stay here then." With that Ginny burst
into tears and moved to leave the room.
Surprising all of his companions not least himself, Harry reacted to
Ginny's tears by doing something that he had been wishing he could do
for the last days. He wrapped his arms around the younger girl in a
hug and he too burst into tears for everyone he had lost.
Tonks stood there for a minute watching the two teens crying for
everything and everyone that had been taken from them and for the
futures they no longer believed they would have before she went into
the kitchen, taking Remus with her to allow them some space to deal
with this in private.
Harry and Ginny stayed as they were, each crying and drawing comfort
and support from the presence of the other for quite sometime.
Two hours later Tonks decided that she had better check on them and
found them curled up together on the sofa, having cried themselves into
an exhausted sleep.
Not wanting to disturb them, she conjured blankets and covered them up.
She then sat in a chair so that she could be near them when then woke
and sat there looking down at the two teens she considered her honorary
younger brother and sister, thought of how unfair life had been to
them. They would never have to be strong for her, she vowed. She
would help them through this.