A/N: hi people. Sorry, really sorry for the delay but I just remembered that I hadn't write this chapter and had written the next one xD. Really sorry guys but its quite a different chapter compared to the others and breaks my writing pattern xP. Stupid words. Whatever, I leave u 2 RR .
And before I forget, thanx for the reviews to all of you. You May continue xP xD.
If u have bn askin' yourselves why I don rite a disclaimer, its because I know its boring xD
Cap 6: The Personal Letter.
Ron woke up early that morning of August 7th. Well, he had since that horriblenight of his best mate's birthday when they discovered that he had disappeared. His sister, Ginny, his first and actual girlfriend, Hermione, and himself hadn't sleep well the past ten days. Going to bed forced by Mrs. Weasley, falling asleep long passed midnight and waking up at five in the morning, the actual condition of the three youngsters wasn't what we could call healthy. They have barely eaten since that eventful day and the lack of restful sleep affected them greatly. You couldn't tell who was worst. Maybe Ginny who's haunted look depressed the whole house population, or Hermione who showed her sorrow physically and had fainted the day before, or Ron who simply couldn't believe that his best friend was missing, and was slowly falling in a black hole of pain and sorrow.
Ron slowly opened his eyes and rolled out of his bed in the Order HeadQuarters. The first couple of days after Harry's disappearance he had woke up pleading that when he got to the kitchen Harry will happily greet him, but now his absence was hitting him forcefully. And not only his absence but the very likely possibility that his friend was dead or being tortured by Voldemort himself and his bunch of Death Eaters. That possibility had being removed, because that according to Snape's reports, Voldemort was also looking for Harry. But Ron knew of many other horrible and bloody fates his best friend could be actually facing. He slowly walked out of his room and into the bathroom for a long anad cold shower that effectively woke him up. He got dressed and then went down stairs to the kitchen to wait ror the rest to come down. As he descended the stairs he met his sister and his girlfriend, that had the same haunted and sorrowful look in their eyes. With his left arm around his girfriend's waist and his right hand holding his sister's left one, the three slowly walked downstairs.
What they found there was really unexpected. The rest of the inhabitants in the house were already there all sitting around the table with a mixture of emotions showed on their faces and eyes. The trio went nearer and fear rose within them as they noticed that Remus was missing. They looked around and were slightly surprise to see that professor Dumbledore was there too. They moved forwards and were able to see that what the group of adults was looking at was a letter in Dumbledore's hands.
'What's that?' asked Ron making the whole group jump out of their skin startled by their presence in the room which was, until then, unnoticed. They all looked at them with pained and sympathetic expressions.
'What is it?' asked Ginny in a nervous and impatient tone.
'It's a letter' Molly Weasley stated the obvious, being interrupted by her youngest son. 'We can all see that' growled the teen. Molly just sighed and continue. 'From Harry'
'WHAT!' shouted the trio tears pouring wildly from the girls eye and everyone could see that Ron was barely containing them.
The three ran to Dumbledore and Hermione snatched the parchment from his hands. Molly was opening her mouth to reprimand them when Dumbledore slowly shook his head telling her that their worries were more that enough excuse.
The trio took their seats and started reading the letter, both girls crying openly and Ron's pain was visible in the barely contained tears in his eyes.
Esteemed Order and Dear Friends:
I know what the Order members must be thinking "What if it's a trap. What if it burns our hands" and so on. It's difficult to proove that it's me, Harry, the one writing this letter and that I'm not being forced to do so. But maybe the fact that I'm saying this may be a reassurance that's ME writing the letter. Also I now that you have checked if it is charmed and you have found a lot of enchantments and charms and even what may be consider as dark magic within it, but at least trust this letter.
Now, I know you're asking yourselves if I'm OK, where I am, how I got there, and so on. Many of these questions I can't answer them, because I would be being disloyal to those actually with me. But well, I'll answer the ones I can:
How am I? I'm OK… No, I'm better that ever, never ever I've been this good and having so much fun. Really guys, if it makes you feel a little set out, sorry, but it's the truth.
Where am I? Can't tell, sorry, really, but it will endanger my companions.
How I got here? Also can't tell. Again sorry (too many sorry's, really)
You May be asking yourselves if I'm going back, and if I am, when? I'm, going back, mmm, by the end of September. I know Hermione, my studies. Don't worry, I'm here with someone that can easily outmatch you when it comes to studying and forcing the others to do so.
Here, Hermione blushed deep red.
Please believe me, I'm Harry and I'm writing this in my own accord. This letter has many spells in it but its for security. OK, Mad-Eye, I'll please you. My father's animagus form was a Stag as is my Patronus. And in Sirius' house, the Order Headquarters, there's a portrait of Mrs. Black which everyone would like to burn to hell.
On the other hand, Remus is with me. He'll get back with me in September, and don't worry, Mrs. Weasley, I'm pushing food down his throat.
Take care all of you, farewell.
Harry James Potter.
As Ginny ended reading the letter aloud, and Hermione lay it on the table, all women in the room were openly crying, even professor McGonagall. The fact that Harry wasn't coming back brought sadness to all the assembled group (except Snape, though his eyes where darkened).
'How can we know Potter wrote this letter?' growled Moody glaring suspiciously at the piece of parchment.
'The facts he wrote are things only he could've known,' stated Ron in a quiet voice impregnated with sorrow.
'Mr. Weasley is right Alastor,' said Dumbledore in his usual calm tone, though there was no twinkle in his eyes.
'The writing is also his,' stated Hermione in the same quiet and sorrowful tone that Ron had used. 'I know his writing perfectly and can tell you that I'm a 100 sure that this is Harry handwriting.'
'It could've been copied from somewhere. A third year level charm dose that; they only need something written by him' said Snape with his usual cold tone.
'It's very difficult that you may have noticed,' started Ron bitterly, looking at the adults in the room. 'Considering your lack of closeness to Harry, but we can tell you this letter was written by his hand and with his heart. We know the way Harry writes and the way he pours his feeling in the parchment. You may not believe us but we know this is Harry's,' he ended, his eyes glittering with unshed tears but staring firmly to the adults in the room, who looked at him with a mixture of amazement and sympathy, except Snape who stared emotionlessly.
'Ron's right,' supported Hermione with a firm tone even thought tears ran down her cheek uncontrollably, clenching the letter in he tight fist. 'You also have written to friends, and have received letters from friends, and know that when you read one there are not only written words, but also all the feelings that your friend directs to you…' she was interrupted as the parchment that was now in her hand started glowing a soft cream green light.
She let it drop with a surprised yelp, holding Ron's hand instinctively, but when the glowing stopped not even ten seconds later, she picked it up immediately. She unfold the paper and when she looked at it, her eyes opened wide as fried eggs.
'What is it?' asked Ginny, talking for the first time since she read the letter.
'It changed!' squealed Hermione and started reading:
'Hey guys!
It's Harry again. -What a news-.
Whatever, that was James (one of the people here). Now, this is a Personal Letter, and if Dumbledore knows about them, it doesn't matter because I know for a fact that he won't be able to undo it. I know, I was a bit frivolous in the past letter.
Really guys, don't worry, I'm perfectly OK, except for having James waking me with ice cold water��but that isn't the point. I'm going back on September the 30th, so there's no need to worry. Just make me a favor Mione, please write down the Sorting Hat's song. I want to know if he'll give another warning directly or discreetly.
Now, you lot, you better continue training yourselves and the DA in my absence or I'll make sure Voldemort seems your favourite grandma, understood? Hope you did . This is important for yours and the school's security, and for you to be able to kick some Death Eaters ass. Make it look as if you had stopped training, but continue secretly. Make sure that there are NO portraits in the Room of Requirements while training, because I noticed last June that they are good spies. If there are non, Dumbledore won't know about your training.
On the other hand I'll ask you to HAVE FUN. Because I'm having loads of it it here. –YEEEES we are xD- James, geroff! He's desperating. But that doesn't matter. –You're bad T-T you don't care about me.- Why should I?… Don't care about him. He just wants all the attention to himself. So, it goes: don't worry, fun, training, fun, secrecy to the Order, fun, kick Death Eaters' butts, fun… +You like fun, don't you+ yes I do, Lil. Is there any problem+No, there isn't, Dear.+ She's Lily, the adult mind in here . -And I'm not an adult/you don'tact likeone/ (AN: that's Lily and Harry.)
Ah, please say hullo to Neville and Luna for me, would ya? Thanks!
Bye guys, see ya!
Harry.-
PS.: I'm no a vampire or a necromancer by the way. You'll understand in a couple of minutes if Dumbledore knows.
'What does it says!' asked Molly Weasley urgently as Hermione finished reading the letter.
'What! I just read it!' she said withan incredulouslook on her face, looking at the redheaded mother and then ather friend and boyfriend. Then she asked 'You heard me, didn't you?
'Yes' both answered nodding fervently.
'What's this Albus?' asked McGonagall worriedly to the headmaster of Hogwarts and leader of the Order of the Phoenix. 'I just saw Miss Granger mouthing what she read, and couldn't even understand her!'
'I don't know. I have my suspicious, but it's nearly impossible,' said the aged man in a low tone, more to himself than answering the transfiguration teacher's question. 'It may be…' he continued mumbling then asked, 'Could I have that letter for a moment, Miss Granger?' and took the parchment as the teen girl offered it to him, nodding in thanks. He started walking around the room, jinxing the letter once every now and then, and muttering to himself who knows what.
'Actually' he started after ten minutes of studying the piece of paper, 'I'm ninety percent sure that this is what I think it is.'
'Care to enlighten us with your assumption?' scowled Snape in what seemed more an order rather than a request.
'Yes, Severus. I think this is a Personal Letter' answered Dumbledore calmly, not caring about the ruthless tone of the potion master while handing the letter to Hermione who took it carefully from his hands.
'Harry said that,' said Ron matter-of-factly having all the adults in the room staring at him. 'What?'
'Did you say something bro?' asked Fred.
Ron looked at Mione and Ginny for support and then at Fred in disbelief.
'Care to put some light in this?' growled Moody in his usual bad temper looking at Dumbledore, dismissing Ron's unheard words.
'But the knowledge to do one is supposed to be lost!' said Mr. Weasley before Albus could answer, eyes wide in astonishment.
'At least for human kind it is but-' started Albus again but was newly interrupted by Tonks.
'What do you mean with "For Human Kind"?'
'Just that. Humans have lost the knowledge of how to do one, but other kinds know how. Though I don't like who those other kinds are' ended the headmaster with a second thought.
'What's that supposed to mean, Albus?' asked Molly worriedly.
'That, of what I know, vampires and necromancers are two of the kinds that know about these letters,' ended the man looking older than he had in long, long time.
'What! But then… but that means… it can't be true!' stuttered Mrs. Weasley voicing the horror that overwhelmed all the others in the room except for Ron, Mione and Ginny. The three of them where gathered in a small circle discussing their possibilities.
'They can't know what Harry didn't write to them' whispered Hermione.
'We noticed that, luv' said Ron, making her blush slightly.
'Shut it you two. We know the truth, but mom is going nuts,' Ginny hissed looking sternly at her friend and brother. 'She really thinks Harry has turned into a vampire or has learned necromancy. But how can we tell them if they aren't supposed to know?'
'Maybe there's something written for professor Dumbledore or someone else,' suggested Hermione. As if in queue the headmaster turned to them and asked, 'Miss Granger, could I have another look at that letter?' Hermione just handed the parchment to the aged man and continue talking with her friends.
As Albus took the letter it started glowing cream ochre light. He dropped it in surprised and, as before, it stopped glowing five or more seconds latter. He picked it up and read:
Professor Dumbledore:
I know you are worried and a little angry because I left, but let me tell you that I was kidnapped, and didn't leave on my own accord (though I don't regret it). I know that you want me to go back to the Dursleys because of the wards that my blood relatives activate, but they are USELESS. Yes, useless, because, if you remember well enough, I told you that Voldemort used MY blood to give himself a new body. Also, since I came to Hogwarts I have considered the castle my home and not the Dursley's house. So that means that non of the requirements are filled. On the other hand the place where I am is even more secure than Hogwarts itself so there really is no need to worry.
You May be asking yourself how I did this letter. I can't tell you what kind I am for knowing how to create a Personal Letter, but I can tell you that I'm not a vampire nor necromancer neither a demon if that worries you. I will ask you to please tell this to Mrs. Weasley after you read this letter, and yes, you will be able to do so.
See you on September the 30th, headmaster.
Sincerely yours,
Harry Potter.-
Albus stared at the letter for long minutes after he finished reading it. Harry's words were so impartial and devoid of emotion that it hurt him. He knew that it hadn't been the smartest of ideas to stop talking to him last year, and as his friends had tell, the emotions burned in every word, or the lack ofthem in this case, was palpable. And the worst of it was that he deserved it. He had been cruel with the boy, locking him up in the Dursleys' and not talking to him or explaining until it was too late. He regret it all, but it was written past and couldn't be changed. The codlness in the words was nothing compared with all the suffering he had caused him. He deserved more hate than many, but he just received a emotionless letter, but maybe the boy knew how much it would hurt him.
'Don't worry Molly,' said in a tone devoid of emotion and his eyes empty of any of their characteristic twinkle. Betraying his tone and expression, the pain and sorrow that caused Harry's words was reflected in those deep blue orbs in such a way that they even seemed darkened by it. He raised his head from the parchment and looked at the Weasley matriarch. 'He says that he isn't a vampire nor necromancer. Neither a demon if that worries you. Though he doesn't tell what he is,' he ended with a heavy sigh.'
'Albus, why can't we know what he says?' Molly asked worriedly.
'As I told you, this is a Personal Letter,' he started looking at each one andall the presents and stopping for longer on the three underage wizards and witches. 'These letters, as you know, can't be done by wizards and witches as the knowledge of how to do them has been hidden to us. But that doesn't mean that some of us still remember what are these letters,' he sighed, stopping for a few seconds before continuing. 'They are, in a way, many letters, put together, one over another, and fused to make one piece of parchment. The writer can decide who can read what or just say that something can be read by anyone. But these charms aren't common wizard ones. It's ancient and sometimes considered Dark Magic, that requires a lot of power, time and concentration, and if stories are right, some of the stages of the making require certain conditions as full moon or certain weather or something like that. It's also impossible to know where they came from or who wrote it in the case that it came anonymous. They are just the perfect letters, unplotable, unreadable to unwanted eyes, and as we could prove now, they have this special property of transmitting emotions more easily than any other letter. Just perfect. And the most amazing thing is that the readers can't tell anyone who isn't supposed to know any information written in the letter. You are, we could say, cursed so no one can understand what you say if you talk about any secret information in front of other people. That is why we couldn't understand Ronald, Hermione and Ginevra,' ended the aged man looking at the three aforementioned teens.
'So, we just can't know where Harry is,' said Arthur, more as a statement than a question.
'Unfortunately, that is the case.' Said the aged headmaster with a sigh.
'Headmaster, can I have the letter?' asked Hermione, some of the sadness gone as her analytic self took over.
The man handed her the letter and it glowed again cream green, but this time she didn't let it go. When it had changed completely she started scanning the parchment before saying, 'Look at the names' being understand only by Ron and Ginny.
'Which ones?' asked Ron with a questioning raced eyebrow, also unheard by the adults. (their conversation will be secret from now on.)
'The ones of Harry companions,' whispered the bushy haired girl.
'Lily and James?' asked Ginny, also with a raised eyebrow that shouted to the four winds that she was Ron's sister. Then her eyes lightened in understanding. 'Those are Harry's parents' names!'
'Yes, they are. What can that mean. Harry isn't dead if he did this letter. But his parents are dead, so…' Hermione said, stopping before ending the last sentence, not sure what to say.
'And if they aren't?' asked Ron. 'I know its really stupid to say so, but. Well, just look at Harry's life. It convinceseveryone that everything's possible.'
'Ron, dead CAN'T come back to life!' Hermione nearly shouted to the redheaded boy.
'OK, OK, just a suggestion,' Ron defended himself raising his hands in a peace gesture.
'But maybe Ron, right,' started Ginny in a soft tone. 'Not that they came back to life, but… maybe they never were dead.'
Both her brother and best friend looked at her as if she suddenly had two or more heads. But then they seemed to reason, and doesn't matter how impossible it sounded, it could be true.