A FAMILY REUNION
CHAPTER ONE: LETTERS
DISCLAIMER: I in no way own or claim to own anything I have written Harry Potter is a trademark of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. pictures
A/N: R&R PLEASE!
"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 equal, But he will have powers 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..."
Professor Trelawney's voice echoed these words in Harry's ears and the vision of Sirius' lifeless body slumping through the veil burned like a brand in his retinas.
Harry turned away from his moonlit vigil and looked at the digital clock on his bedside table, 11:59, it read. 'One minute' Harry thought. He turned just in time to see Hedwig, his owl, and Pig and Hermes, the Weasley's owls glide through the window. Pig and Hermes carried a rather large package between the two of them. Hedwig, herself, had a sizeable parcel. In no particular hurry, Harry unburdened the owls and gave them some owl treats and water. Hedwig climbed into her cage on Harry's desk and with a soft hoot to Harry, tucked her head under her wing and was fast asleep in no time. Pig and Hermes finished off their treats and water and took off into the night. Harry turned his gaze to the parcels on his bed. He knew they were birthday gifts from his friends. Harry sighed heavily and set himself to the task at hand.
The large package was, of course, from the Weasley's and contained a new Jumper of burgundy with a gold H knitted on the front from Mrs. Weasley, a handsome silver muggle pocketwatch from Mr. Weasley, Fred and George sent him a bag full of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and there were a pair of mittens with a bit of parchment attached that read:
Harry,
Mum taught me to knit, so I made these for you. Hope you like them.
Love,
Ginny
Harry held the mittens up, one was quite a bit larger than the other and Harry smiled in spite of himself. There was also a Chudley Canons poster autographed by the entire team, and another letter, this time from Ron.
Harry,
Hope you're getting on ok mate. We'll see you soon.
Happy Birthday,
Ron
Harry turned to Hedwig's parcel it was, of course, from Hermione. He opened it to find, not surprisingly, a book. A Wizarding Genealogy, was written in silver up the black leather spine. Hermione's letter read,
Harry,
I picked this up in a bookstore in Liverpool; I think you'll find it interesting. I hope you are doing alright. Please owl me soon, I'm worried about you.
Love,
Hermione
Harry breathed another deep sigh as he looked at the evidence of the people who cared about him.
'I don't deserve all this,' he thought hopelessly, 'I failed them. I failed Sirius.' This last thought broke him and he threw himself down on his bed and sobbed into his pillow.
Harry lifted his tear stained face at the sound of approaching wings. A very official looking owl drifted through his window and settled next to Harry on his bed. Harry untied the letter from the owl's leg and the owl was off again. Harry sat blinking after the owl as it rapidly became just a speck and then nothing in the night sky. He had never seen that owl before and was sure it was not a Hogwart's owl.
Harry curiously turned his attention to the letter in his hand. He opened it to find it printed on Ministry parchment.
From The Minister of Magic
Dear Mr. Potter,
This letter is to inform you that you have been named as next of kin to one Sirius Black. As such, we hope you will accept our deepest condolences for your loss. However, it is my greatest privilege to present you with the full pardon of Sirius Black.
Also, it has come to our attention that you are the beneficiary to a rather large estate, to be executed by none other than Remus Lupin, until such time as you are of age and have left Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The estate includes but is not limited to the following:
#12 Grimmauld Place and all the contents therein, as well as the complete contents of Mr. Black's bank vault #SB/112 at Gringotts.
We hope to retain Mr. Potter's friendship and trust throughout the coming years.
Most Sincerely,
Ludo Bagman
Minister of Magic
Harry felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. 'Sirius' heir? A full pardon from the Ministry? A little bloody late for that isn't it? Well, at least his name is clear, but that doesn't bring him back. It doesn't bring any of them back.'
Harry crumpled the letter in disgust just in time to see yet another owl, this time a large tawny, enter his room through the window. This one was easily recognizable as a school owl. It had in it's beak an official Hogwart's envelope and tied to it's leg, a shabby looking grey envelope. He relieved the owl of it's post and, just like that, it was gone. Harry set the Hogwart's letter aside, instead opting for the grey envelope.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday, I hope you're getting on okay with the muggles. Look Harry, I know you're probably torturing yourself about Sirius, but stop, because it only makes you vulnerable to Voldemort's Attacks.
I have obtained permission from Dumbledore to take you on a bit of a holiday. The location shall be a secret until tomorrow morning around 8 A.M. I shall be around to fetch you at that time. Your friends Ron and Hermione will be joining us, as will Alastor Moody, Tonks and Arthur Weasley. However, it shall be I who retrieves you tomorrow. Be ready.
Till then,
Remus
Harry stared at the letter. A holiday? Where on earth did Lupin think to take him where Harry could escape the memories? Surely not to his new property on Grimmauld Place. Harry bit back his grief, maybe it wouldn't be so hard with others around who miss Sirius too.
'Of course it will be,' said a voice in his head, ' They're not the reason...'
"Stop" Harry whispered. Hadn't Lupin just wrote that this train of thought would make him vulnerable?
'So what?' the voice in his head wondered, 'So what if I die? At least the constant pain would end, and besides who would miss me?'
Just then another voice spoke up in his head that sounded strangely like Hermione's, 'Harry Potter, you stop that this instant! If you die then he wins and all the sacrifices made for you, your Mum and Dad, Cedric, Sirius, they will have died in vain and the rest of the world will be doomed.'
' But it's not fair,' The first voice pleaded, 'It's not fair, I've only just turned sixteen. It's not fair to place the fate of the entire world on my shoulders.'
"It's not fair," Harry sobbed.
'It's not fair, but that's the way it is,' Hermione's voice rang in his head. 'But remember, you don't have to bear it alone.'
"Damnit Hermione, why do you always have to be the voice of reason, even in my head?" Harry said aloud. Just then, a loud thump on the wall, "Shut it, you." Came his Uncle Vernon's voice. Harry winced. He looked at his clock again, 4:00 A.M. He sighed again.
He decided to busy himself with packing, only four more hours till Lupin arrives. Where on earth could they be going that was such a secret? Harry collected all of his letters and gifts, including the crumpled Ministry letter and tossed them all on top of his belongings in his trunk, the Hogwart's letter unopened.