Fallout
Harry opened a portal and gestured his friends through and closed it behind him with a wave to the Order members behind him.
Ron was the first to speak, "Bloody hell, Harry, you don't do anything by half measures do you."
Harry just laughed at his friend's comment and said, "Well it seems that for once, I have good luck instead of bad, mate." Hermione just looked at him silently, taking in every detail of his new appearance and finally spoke.
"Harry, I've heard of puberty but don't you think that," she gestured to his now changed physic, "Is a little overboard?"
Harry just laughed at her reaction and said, "Well, you heard all about the emergence of the dormant genes within me, it is simply what I am now," he stated. Ron just looked with open envy at his friend. All of his life he had had to be the second of everything; hand me down clothes and books from all of his brothers, to always being second to his best mate, Harry Potter.
Harry, recognizing the look on Ron's face, said, "Now hold on a minute, mate. I never asked for any of this to happen. I never wanted a homicidal, Dark Lord after me. I never wanted to be anything but normal and keep to the shadows." Harry continued more gently seeing the sorrowful expressions on his friends' faces, "All I can say is that this happened for a reason, and I have a duty and a destiny to fulfill. I want you both close to me this year and not have any secrets between us like last year. The bloodline is part of who I am and the powers may set me a bit apart from you all, but they are necessary right now, a means to an end."
Ron and Hermione both nodded silently at their friend and Harry continued. "I know you both want to help and as you showed last year, you will follow me even if I tell you not to. So instead, I'm going to tell you all of it, the whole prophecy and remove the last barrier between us." Harry related the rest of the prophecy to their shocked and awed expressions.
Hermione was the first to speak, "Oh God Harry, no wonder you were so withdrawn. It wasn't bad enough that Sirius had to die; now you have to kill as well." She suddenly started sobbing to herself silently. Ron seeing her, merely placed his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She looked up at him, suddenly threw herself at him, and just hung on for comfort.
Harry just smiled at the two and said, "Well I guess Ginny owes me 10 galleons," he said laughing. The other two looked questioningly at Harry. "We made a bet that you would end up together. I said it would happen this summer and Ginny said it would never happen because Ron was to chicken to ask you out," Harry grinned.
Both just smiled at each other and then at Harry.
Harry continued on the previous topic of conversation and said, "Well now that you know the whole prophecy, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave the castle until we find a way to make sure the knowledge can never be taken from you against your will." Harry stood in silent thought for a moment and gestured for the other two to follow. They came to stop in front of the portrait of Godric Gryffindor who was dozing in his frame at the time.
"Ahem, Gramps?" Harry questioned the painting.
Godric awoke and looked over at Harry, "Goodness, gracious sake, Harry what are you and your friends doing up at such a late hour?" Godric scolded. Ron and Hermione giggled at the picture. Godric silenced them with a glance and said, "Now, now children, I remember a time when it was early to bed and early to rise. I can't remember who said it but I think it was..."
Harry interrupted him quickly knowing how he loved to ramble on, "Gramps, I told them the Prophecy. The WHOLE Prophecy," Harry stated.
Godric stopped talking and looked at Harry in surprise, "Well, I hope you know what you're doing lad. Now they will have to stay here in the castle with you until they can be taught Occlumency."
Harry nodded and said, "That is what I told them, but I trust them with my life and they want to help us. I'm going to see to it that they get all the training to fight that they need to stay alive."
Godric nodded his agreement and said, "Well, we will all help them train to meet the necessary requirements. They ARE Gryffindors after all," Godric chuckled.
"Harry," Ron said "I don't understand you, you HATE publicity and now you want to come open with the entire wizarding world about who and what you are?" he asked.
Harry nodded and replied, "It's not an ideal situation for me either, I hate the attention and the soon to come, political ramifications of being who I am. But," Harry continued, "It has been pointed out to me that as the Heir of Gryffindor, I don't have a real choice in the matter. As long as Voldemort is reigning on the side of evil then I, as a Son of Light, must fight for my people no matter if they think me. Either as a savior or a nutter, it is my duty," Harry concluded.
Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry and nodded in silent agreement. He was right, they thought, the wizarding world needed to know they had a champion on their side, willing to fight; even die, for them. They bid each other good night as Harry expanded the chambers to include two extra bedrooms that were fully furnished for the both of them.
Harry then said, "Well guys, it is very late. Let's go to sleep and talk more in the morning." Though their minds were teeming with more questions, especially Hermione's, they both reluctantly agreed to pick up the re-union in the morning.
The three companions awoke early the next morning.
Ron came out and asked, "When can we go to breakfast Harry? I'm starving!" he exclaimed. Harry just laughed and looked at Ron, suddenly all of Ron's night clothes had changed into normal day robes. After he did the same for Hermione, as well as a bathing spell placed on the three of them, they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Sensing a change in the others already seated at the Head table, Harry made his way over to Albus and took a seat. Albus looked over at his young pupil taking in the serene expression, happiness, and self-confidence he was exuding now. He had very bad news and it was going to kill him to have to tell Harry that his Muggle relatives, the Dursleys, had been murdered in a most horrific fashion by agents of Voldemort.
"Harry," Albus began. "I have some very tragic news that we received this morning from our spies." Harry felt his throat beginning to constrict as he looked at the sad grieved expression on the old Headmasters face. "What is it?" he asked quickly. "Harry, it would seem that last night during our meeting, there was an attack on your relatives at number four Privet drive," Albus stated. Harry looked at him, quickly concern was written all over his face. It was not as if he really cared for the Dursleys, but they were his only remaining living link to his parents. "Are they alright he asked?" Albus just sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry Harry, all of your relatives were murdered in a most horrible fashion, and the house razed to the ground. The Dark Mark was said to be seen in the air above the house right after the attack." Harry took all this in for a moment and a hard cold look suddenly appeared on his face. Hermione looked at him in sudden concern thinking, 'How many more deaths of his family, liked or not, can he take?' Harry just sighed and said aloud, "So, it has really begun. The second war has really started."
Harry opened a portal and gestured his friends through and closed it behind him with a wave to the Order members behind him.
Ron was the first to speak, "Bloody hell, Harry, you don't do anything by half measures do you."
Harry just laughed at his friend's comment and said, "Well it seems that for once, I have good luck instead of bad, mate." Hermione just looked at him silently, taking in every detail of his new appearance and finally spoke.
"Harry, I've heard of puberty but don't you think that," she gestured to his now changed physic, "Is a little overboard?"
Harry just laughed at her reaction and said, "Well, you heard all about the emergence of the dormant genes within me, it is simply what I am now," he stated. Ron just looked with open envy at his friend. All of his life he had had to be the second of everything; hand me down clothes and books from all of his brothers, to always being second to his best mate, Harry Potter.
Harry, recognizing the look on Ron's face, said, "Now hold on a minute, mate. I never asked for any of this to happen. I never wanted a homicidal, Dark Lord after me. I never wanted to be anything but normal and keep to the shadows." Harry continued more gently seeing the sorrowful expressions on his friends' faces, "All I can say is that this happened for a reason, and I have a duty and a destiny to fulfill. I want you both close to me this year and not have any secrets between us like last year. The bloodline is part of who I am and the powers may set me a bit apart from you all, but they are necessary right now, a means to an end."
Ron and Hermione both nodded silently at their friend and Harry continued. "I know you both want to help and as you showed last year, you will follow me even if I tell you not to. So instead, I'm going to tell you all of it, the whole prophecy and remove the last barrier between us." Harry related the rest of the prophecy to their shocked and awed expressions.
Hermione was the first to speak, "Oh God Harry, no wonder you were so withdrawn. It wasn't bad enough that Sirius had to die; now you have to kill as well." She suddenly started sobbing to herself silently. Ron seeing her, merely placed his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance. She looked up at him, suddenly threw herself at him, and just hung on for comfort.
Harry just smiled at the two and said, "Well I guess Ginny owes me 10 galleons," he said laughing. The other two looked questioningly at Harry. "We made a bet that you would end up together. I said it would happen this summer and Ginny said it would never happen because Ron was to chicken to ask you out," Harry grinned.
Both just smiled at each other and then at Harry.
Harry continued on the previous topic of conversation and said, "Well now that you know the whole prophecy, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave the castle until we find a way to make sure the knowledge can never be taken from you against your will." Harry stood in silent thought for a moment and gestured for the other two to follow. They came to stop in front of the portrait of Godric Gryffindor who was dozing in his frame at the time.
"Ahem, Gramps?" Harry questioned the painting.
Godric awoke and looked over at Harry, "Goodness, gracious sake, Harry what are you and your friends doing up at such a late hour?" Godric scolded. Ron and Hermione giggled at the picture. Godric silenced them with a glance and said, "Now, now children, I remember a time when it was early to bed and early to rise. I can't remember who said it but I think it was..."
Harry interrupted him quickly knowing how he loved to ramble on, "Gramps, I told them the Prophecy. The WHOLE Prophecy," Harry stated.
Godric stopped talking and looked at Harry in surprise, "Well, I hope you know what you're doing lad. Now they will have to stay here in the castle with you until they can be taught Occlumency."
Harry nodded and said, "That is what I told them, but I trust them with my life and they want to help us. I'm going to see to it that they get all the training to fight that they need to stay alive."
Godric nodded his agreement and said, "Well, we will all help them train to meet the necessary requirements. They ARE Gryffindors after all," Godric chuckled.
"Harry," Ron said "I don't understand you, you HATE publicity and now you want to come open with the entire wizarding world about who and what you are?" he asked.
Harry nodded and replied, "It's not an ideal situation for me either, I hate the attention and the soon to come, political ramifications of being who I am. But," Harry continued, "It has been pointed out to me that as the Heir of Gryffindor, I don't have a real choice in the matter. As long as Voldemort is reigning on the side of evil then I, as a Son of Light, must fight for my people no matter if they think me. Either as a savior or a nutter, it is my duty," Harry concluded.
Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry and nodded in silent agreement. He was right, they thought, the wizarding world needed to know they had a champion on their side, willing to fight; even die, for them. They bid each other good night as Harry expanded the chambers to include two extra bedrooms that were fully furnished for the both of them.
Harry then said, "Well guys, it is very late. Let's go to sleep and talk more in the morning." Though their minds were teeming with more questions, especially Hermione's, they both reluctantly agreed to pick up the re-union in the morning.
The three companions awoke early the next morning.
Ron came out and asked, "When can we go to breakfast Harry? I'm starving!" he exclaimed. Harry just laughed and looked at Ron, suddenly all of Ron's night clothes had changed into normal day robes. After he did the same for Hermione, as well as a bathing spell placed on the three of them, they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Sensing a change in the others already seated at the Head table, Harry made his way over to Albus and took a seat. Albus looked over at his young pupil taking in the serene expression, happiness, and self-confidence he was exuding now. He had very bad news and it was going to kill him to have to tell Harry that his Muggle relatives, the Dursleys, had been murdered in a most horrific fashion by agents of Voldemort.
"Harry," Albus began. "I have some very tragic news that we received this morning from our spies." Harry felt his throat beginning to constrict as he looked at the sad grieved expression on the old Headmasters face. "What is it?" he asked quickly. "Harry, it would seem that last night during our meeting, there was an attack on your relatives at number four Privet drive," Albus stated. Harry looked at him, quickly concern was written all over his face. It was not as if he really cared for the Dursleys, but they were his only remaining living link to his parents. "Are they alright he asked?" Albus just sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry Harry, all of your relatives were murdered in a most horrible fashion, and the house razed to the ground. The Dark Mark was said to be seen in the air above the house right after the attack." Harry took all this in for a moment and a hard cold look suddenly appeared on his face. Hermione looked at him in sudden concern thinking, 'How many more deaths of his family, liked or not, can he take?' Harry just sighed and said aloud, "So, it has really begun. The second war has really started."
