AN – fixed a few mistakes and added maybe one or two lines. Not much though (probably not worth rereading, but if you've forgotten what is happening may be useful)
Chapter 17 – Private Interrogation
The girls tucked Harry back into bed after he had written everything down about the dream. "You're too tired to go tromping down to Dumbledore's office. We'll take this paper and you can talk to him in the morning if he has any more questions," Diana said in her mumish tone.
"Now back to sleep because we all have a big day tomorrow," Maria said, "and we wouldn't want you to miss it because you were too tired." Harry harrumphed at that, but did as they said and lay down. The girls closed the curtains on the four poster bed and turned out the lights before waiting for Harry's breath to become even. Ten minutes later the girls heard his even breath and left the room.
"I'll take this to Dumbledore's office," Diana said. "You guys go to bed. I won't be too long." At that Diana changed into her fox form, with the letter in her mouth, and went over to the portrait hole waiting expectantly for someone to open it for her. Isa complied and she was off towards Dumbledore's office. Not too much later she found herself at the gargoyle. Diana de-transformed and took the paper into her hand. "Billabong," Diana said in her firm, Australian accented voice. Like before, the gargoyle jumped aside to reveal the rotating stair case. 'This really is too much like an escalator,' she thought numbly as she rose up the stairs. The late time was starting to get to her as she realized that she probably wouldn't get a very large amount of sleep tonight. She reached the top of the stairs and knocked on the door. The other side of the door remained quite for a moment before she heard a muffled, "come in." 'Well someone was either asleep, in deep thought, or they think I'm a threat,' Diana thought as she reached for the door handle and took it. 'Well better get this done fast so I can get some sleep.' She opened the door to see no one. She looked around the corner and saw the door behind the desk was open and Fawkes sitting on his perch. He trilled as she passed him, jumped onto her shoulder, and rubbed his head behind her ear. She continued into the room without giving a thought to the fact that a phoenix was sitting on her shoulder. What she saw surprised her slightly.
The room had more people than she expected to be sitting in it; she could also name all of them. Dumbledore was in the same seat he had been in when they had been having their talks before, McGonagall and Snape on his left and right respectively, Sirius and Remus sat on McGonagall's side. Then came Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, well she assumed that it was them from the descriptions in the books and Julie Walter's and Mark Williams from the movies. The two actors weren't far off from being the actual people either. Continuing on down the line was Mad-Eye Moody, again assuming (though it wasn't all that hard) from the amount of flesh missing from his body. A woman with crazily spiked, lavender coloured hair, who looked about the same weight and build as Harry, but taller, was next. She was wearing a muggle rock band t-shirt (it appeared) and jeans. She looked young, maybe her mid-twenties. Hagrid was standing in the corner off to the left of Snape. Everyone had turned to look at her when she had come in. Molly, the girl, and Hagrid were looking at her incredulously. Dumbledore's blue eyes were twinkling, Snape was scowling, and McGonagall was watching her too closely. Moody was the only one calmly watching her, with both eyes. He looked her up and down in a swift motion that she almost didn't notice. Arthur seemed to be confused, 'I think it runs in the family,' Diana thought laughing quietly to herself. Fawkes trilled, in agreement it seemed.
Moody spoke first in a quiet growl, "Whose this then?"
"Diana Seiko," Diana said walking swiftly towards the table, not making it more than three steps before she found herself being stopped by three wands pointed at her chest/head. The door shut behind her, 'Oh fuck,' she thought. 'Maybe I should tell the others. Well couldn't hurt.'
( Hey you guys just so you know Dumbledore and some other people have decided to interrogate me (shrugs) I don't really know why but just so you know I'm probably not going to be back very soon. Don't worry; I don't think anything bad will happen. But just so you know.) She said all this directly to the triplets, 'Don't want to wake Harry now.'
((Ok Pheonixxx, we will sssee you later. Try to not be up all nighttt again though)) Anna said calmly. Diana cut the link between the group so as not to disturb them too much.
"Do you guys have to do this right now? I just wanted to give you what Harry had dreamed the other day and go to bed," Diana whined in an all together girlish way. Snape looked disgusted but then returned to scowling.
"And what exactly do you think we are going to do to you Diana?" Dumbledore said quietly bringing his hands up into the familiar steeple.
"No clue, but if your pointing wands at me and closing doors then it probably isn't going to be quick, painless, or fun." Diana said petting Fawkes on the head.
"Well the quick, painless, and fun all depends on how willing you are," Snape said dryly.
"Well can I at least sit down?" Diana said pointing to the empty chair. Dumbledore nodded to Hagrid who pushed himself off the wall, walked over to the chair and pulled it over to Diana.
"Thanks Hagrid," Diana said and smiled graciously. Hagrid looked shocked for a moment but continued back towards the wall.
"Now Diana, I have told these wonderful people here what your friends, Harry, and yourself told us earlier. But since you graciously walked into our meeting I thought you could clarify some things." Dumbledore said. Diana didn't speak just waiting for Dumbledore to ask her the questions she knew would be coming eventually.
'It's not like I'm trying to hide something,' she thought with a mental shrug.
"But first please tell us the names of the people you know in this room and tell us what you know of them," Dumbledore said.
Diana looked quizzically at him but shrugged and began to name the people. "Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald at about the end of World War II. He saved Hagrid when Tom Riddle imposed on him that he had opened the Chamber of Secrets (there was a gasp, but no one stopped her). You were the Transfiguration teacher before you became Headmaster. Tom Riddle fears only you and Harry Potter, though I still don't understand why exactly anyway, you are strong, stern, and seem to keep a close eye on Harry." She paused for a second, "oh and you wish people would give you more socks for Christmas." Dumbledore chuckled at this but the others looked rather stunned as she turned to the next person.
"Minerva McGonagall, present Transfiguration Professor, deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. She conducts the sorting ceremony at the beginning of each year; turns into a tabby cat. She seems to have a soft spot for Harry and was right about his relatives being, how did you put it,
'The worst kind of muggles' because they are. She chose Harry to be Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team in his first year after seeing him catch Nevelle Longbottom's Remembrall exceedingly well at the first Gryffindor/Slytherin flying lesson after Draco Malfoy had thrown it from his own broom. But she is always strict yet fair in her ways." McGonagall looked pretty surprised at what Diana said, but again no one stopped her as she went onto the next person.
"Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather and otherwise known as Snuffles (this got a giggle from the lavender haired girl and a chuckle from Hagrid, Snape had a smirk on his face), Snape I wouldn't keep that face if I were you. I know a few things about you too. (The look was gone and the scowl was back in an instant) as I was saying, Sirius was a prisoner of Azkaban, but wrongly accused. Sirius was going to be the Potters' secret keeper for the Fidilus Charm, but at the last moment James changed the person to Peter Pettigrew who then turned his friends over to Lord Voldemort, newest dark lord badass (Snape smirked again) also known as Tom Marvolo Riddle, who killed his father and new family once he was of age because his father left his witch mother, who died in child birth, once he found out that she was a witch." The silence grew thicker. "Anyway, Sirius ran into Peter on a muggle street, this is where Peter did his famous trick and had Sirius 'kill him.' All that could be found of Peter was one of his fingers. Later Peter was found by Percy Weasley and then passed on to Ron Weasley, but I'll get to that in a minute. Sirius was taken to Azkaban where he stayed for about thirteen years until one day when Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge visited him and he asked for the newspaper, where low and behold there was a picture of the Weasley family smiling and waving from Egypt where they had been visiting one of the older Weasley boys, I believe it's Bill. (The Weasley's nodded at this) But what really caught Sirius' eye was the Rat on Ron's shoulder… it was missing a finger. Now since Sirius Black is also a large black dog, funny pun that one, he had been able to dodge most of the dementors grip on him for the extent of his stay and so escaped in his dog form."
"He eventually made it to Hogwarts and hung out in the Shrieking Shack for a while. Finally at the end of Harry's third year Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Snape all 'found him.' He and Remus told Harry, Ron and Hermione that Ron's rat was really Pettigrew; Snape had been knocked out by Harry so they could talk. (Snape looked angry for a moment before returning to his scowl –AN doing a lot of that isn't he?-) Well Sirius and Remus wanted to kill Peter, but Harry told them not to and instead to take him to the Dementors. Anyway Remus transformed into his wolf form, Sirius tried to protect Harry, they both got attacked by Dementors and he got imprisoned and was awaiting the Dementor's Kiss, but Harry and Hermione used the Time-Turner Hermione had been given to take all her classes that year to rescue Buckbeak from death, because Malfoy is incapable of not being a snotty child to dangerous animals. Harry did his corporeal patronus to save Sirius and himself and then sent Sirius and Buckbeak away." Diana took a large breath. "During Harry's fourth year Sirius hung out in that cave on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Oh I forgot you gave Harry his Firebolt when his Nimbus 2000 was destroyed during his third year at the game when the Dementors appeared. You said it was his Christmas and birthday gifts for the past 12 years. Padfoot is also one of his nicknames."
"Remus Lupin, a werewolf, nicknamed Moony. His best friends, James, Sirius, and Peter became animagi while at school with him to help with the transformations, which occurred in the Shrieking Shack. He was bitten as a child and returned to Hogwarts in Harry's third year to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. To Harry and most of the school he was the best teacher they had had
(Remus blushed lightly at this; Sirius grinned at him in an I-Told-You-So look). In his spare time Remus taught Harry the Patronus Charm to help him defend dementors off and also offered him comfort when his friends were on Hogsmeade weekends; telling him a little about his mother and father."
"Arthur Weasley, father of Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. He works for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department in the Ministry and is obsessed with muggle inventions and customs. I, for one, particularly like the plug collection." Arthur looked slightly surprised at the plug collection comment.
"Molly Weasley, mother of Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. Your maiden name is Prewett. You are protective of all your children and Harry, particularly Ginny. You like rules, which is why you admire Percy. You try and keep order in your house, which is not easy with Fred and George. You were most concerned at their safety after the Quidditch World Cup last year as you had been angry with them for trying to take their joke shop supplies out of the house at the time. You also helped Harry onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters in his First year and have since thought of him as your son. Ron and Ginny are best friends with Harry and Hermione."
"Alaster 'Mad-Eye' Moody," most of the people looked surprised when Diana said this. "Moody was the DADA teacher last year, but it turned out that he was actually Barty Crouch Jr. using Polyjuice Potion and Moody's hair. Moody was locked in his interesting trunk with many locks for the year. Moody is an experience Auror who is rather paranoid, and for good reason." Moody's eye was spiraling around suddenly and now she understood why Harry got headaches from watching it. So she turned to the next person trying to not notice the movement out of her peripheral vision.
"Rubeus Hagrid, expelled in his third year for keeping Aragog, a large spider, hmm maybe large isn't the right word well anyway, during the first time the Chamber of Secrets was open. Hagrid helped Harry get his letter in his first year and then helped him get his magical barring when buying his school things. Hagrid is Harry's first real friend; he became the Care of Magical Creatures Professor in Harry's third year. Over Harry's four years he has helped the trio in figuring out clues and particularly in his fourth year when Hagrid showed Harry what the first task of the Triwizard Tournament would be, saving his life and getting him started on the winning track. Weren't you coming back in September? That's what Harry's letter said." Diana was slightly confused after realizing that he was suppose to be looking for Giants. But continued non-the-less.
"Severus Snape, appearance is of a large bat (chuckles from around the table, including Snape himself), a spy for Riddle and Potions Master of Hogwarts. He is trusted by Dumbledore despite being a Death Eater. Snape turned spy sometime early in his time as a Death Eater. Rival to Harry Potter, because of a childhood grudge on James Potter; as I don't understand this grudge I'm not going to go into it further, though I'd like to say to you that you should have a better look at Harry and stop the childish nonsense. (Snape looked disgruntled at the tone Diana used with him, Dumbledore chuckled lightly) Snape also has a grudge against Sirius because of a prank he pulled when they were in school that could have lead to Snape's death at Remus' werewolf's hands. Snape has saved Harry's life numerous times despite his grudges, and thus tells people that looks can be deceiving." Diana took a large breath, closed her eyes and then opened them quickly.
"Oh one last one, Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix. Harry first saw Fawkes on one of his
Burning Days when he was sent to your office. Later Fawkes comes to the rescue when Harry was in the Chamber giving him tears to heal the basilisk's poison, the sorting hat to give him a sword, to poke the basilisk's eyes out, and to finally carry the group out of the Chamber when the basilisk and young Riddle were dead. In Harry's fourth year Fawkes healed Harry's wounds after escaping Voldemort. Finally, Harry and Riddle's wands both have tail feathers from Fawkes' tail." Diana began to pet Fawkes once she had finished telling everything she knew.
"Do you know anything about me?" the woman with lavender hair asked.
"Nope, not a clue who you are," Diana said truthfully.
"So how exactly do you and your friends know about this world?" Remus asked the others all nodding in agreement.
"Well, in our reality, an author by the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling has written four books documenting a fictional character's magical life, starting in first year with a little bit from when Dumbledore and McGonagall drop Harry at the Dursley's," Diana said the last name like a curse word.
"Now how many years of Harry's life have been documented?" McGonagall asked thoughtfully.
"I thought you would have guessed. J. K. Rowling has only written the first four years of Harry's schooling and was going to come out with his fifth year soon actually. I was really looking forward to it too," Diana said pouting slightly at the end.
"You know everything you do about all of us from reading these books by this Rowling person?" Snape asked irritably.
"Mostly, but I also used the internet." Mr. Weasley's mouth opened, but Diana got to him before he could speak. "Mr. Weasley just don't ask me it's too late for me to think properly. Ask Juliana or Harry tomorrow."
"So why are you so interested in the books?" Hagrid asked.
The question surprised Diana but she answered as usual, "You have to understand that Harry Potter is the biggest thing since Lord of the Rings."
"Really, I wonder if there is a Lord of the Rings universe also," The lavender haired woman said excitedly. "By the way my names is Nymphadora Tonks, but call me Tonks, Nymphadora is such a mouthful." She grinned but did not shake hands.
'Must be an Auror or at least slightly paranoid.'
"Well if that is everything then could I possibly go now and get some sleep?" Diana looked at her watch, "Now that it's approaching three am. To my understanding we'll be leaving relatively early tomorrow."
"Yes Diana you may go," Diana stood the Phoenix still perched on her shoulder. "On one conditions," Diana sighed but nodded patiently. "Why does Fawkes seem so affectionate to you?" Dumbledore asked interest sparkling wildly in his crystal blue eyes.
"I'm a fire sign. Anything related to a fire spirit likes me," Diana said as she began to leave the room, but turned when she remembered what she had actually come in to do. "Here's what Harry was suppose to see yesterday, but was interrupted by his parents. If you have any more questions for him talk to him tomorrow as he is now in REM sleep. Good night then." Diana then turned and walked out of the now open door before the others could ask her any more questions. Fawkes took off from her shoulder and again took his perch. Diana ran down the spiraling stairs and transformed mid-stride when she reached the gargoyle. It took her only a few minutes to get back to the portrait. When she arrived Anna was standing with the painting open for her. Diana de-transformed when she was inside.
"God that took too long," Diana said as she and Anna numbly walked to bed. The painting of Gryffindor was ajar for them.
"Yes I was beginning to get worried that you were telling your life story like your mother," Anna said with a grin firmly planted on her face.
"Take that grin off your face or I'll beat it off with Harry's broom." Diana said tiredly.
"In your tiredness I think not." Anna's grin widened.
"Fine but I'll do it in the morning if you don't get rid of it right now," Diana smirked. The two girls quickly changed and were talking quietly now.
"Oh fine, now go to bed. We'll talk more in the morning." Anna finally said slightly defeated. Diana fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Anna watched all the girls for a moment. 'Good night my servant and daughters,' Anna thought quietly to herself before lying down and falling into a light sleep.
- Ok well I hope you enjoyed this. Ok I'm going to bed its 3:30 in the morning. I'll talk to you all later. Don't forget to review; it always makes me feel more like writing. Bye (waves)