Harry's Secret

Chapter 1: She Heard Him Again...

By: stu14688

She heard him again. He was whimpering in his sleep. He did that often, but who could blame him. It was just about a month ago that he had seen his godfather fall through that veil never to return. Then Voldemort had possessed him. No, Hermione thought, I can't blame him for having nightmares; I just wish that he would talk to someone. She and Ron had talked some the day before as Harry had napped – peacefully for once. He heard Harry too. Of course, he did share a room with Harry. Ron was worried about him. He did not eat well, he did not sleep well, and something was bothering him other than Sirius' death. Everyone at headquarters knew about Harry's distracted sense of being this summer, and they had all tried talking to him.

Unlike last summer, though, Harry did not get mad, he just quietly said that he would talk when he was ready. It seemed that only Dumbledore knew what was bothering the Boy Who Lived, but he refused to tell anyone. Hermione glanced at her watch. It was four in the morning, and thankfully, Harry had quieted for the rest of the night. He had gotten to where he was like clockwork. He would go to bed at about ten o'clock. He would sleep fine until about two, and then by three-thirty he would be calm again. Hermione had awoken every night at about two-fifteen and listened until Harry was quiet again, then she would go back to sleep for a while. A week ago, she found out that Ron did the same thing. Harry had been napping when they talked then too.

Harry always tried to seem happy in front of everyone, but he could not mask his grief in his sleep. Ron and Hermionie had told everyone last week of Harry's dreaming habits, and by now everyone had came and listened either outside the boy's door, or inside Hermione and Ginny's room. Molly was distraught over Harry's sleeping habits. She had planned something special for Harry's sixteenth birthday party. That was today. Harry did not know about the party. Everyone was going to be there – except Snape and the ones that matter the most thought Hermionie. Those would be Sirius and, of course, James and Lily. She did not know how they were going to keep Harry from figuring out the party plans. For the past two weeks, he had been at Number 12, and he seemed to be quite good at discovering things that were supposed to be secret. Hermione decided that she and Ron would just have to do the best that they could. With that thought, Hermione went back to sleep.

Hermione woke up about six o'clock later that morning and quietly went into the kitchen. The boys would be awake about nine, and she wanted to think about how to distract Harry until three this afternoon. It would not be easy.

Hermione was startled when Mrs. Weasley walked into the room. "Oh, sorry dear. I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't think that anyone would be awake yet," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Don't worry about it. I was just trying to think of ways of keeping Harry out of here until this afternoon. You do realize that you gave Ron and me the hardest job of all?" Hermione laughed when she said the last sentence. It felt good to laugh. It seemed like it had been years since she had last done it, when in reality it had only been about a month. She had given a small chuckle now and then, but never a laugh

Mrs. Weasley grinned and nodded as she spoke. "I was thinking that if you two could just keep him out of the kitchen after breakfast, then we just might get away with it. I could bring you all some dinner about noon. As far as keeping him busy, well I think anything will work. He's been willing to do any kind of bidding since he came here."

Molly figured that Harry had been forced to work everyday while he was at the Dursleys. That was probably why he did not complain when asked to do something, but Molly was apprehensive to let him do anything. He had to beg her to give him a job the second day that he had been at headquarters, and had not hesitated to do anything since then. She knew that Harry was not only trying to keep Sirius off his mind, but was also doing what came natural to him from years of forced labor with his aunt and uncle. The thought of those heartless, cruel people made Molly seethe with anger. It was all she could do to not march up to Number four Pivit Drive and hex the lot of them.

About that time, Lupin walked in the room. His appearance effectively ended Molly's mounting anger, and both ladies turned around to greet him. He still looked haggard from the full moon two nights ago, but he also seemed to have something else different about him. "I couldn't help but hear part of the conversation you were having. I think that I can help. Today's Harry's sixteenth birthday, and I'd like to take him somewhere before the party."

Molly looked like she was about to object when Lupin continued. "I've already cleared this with Albus. He agrees with me. I … oh, this may be stupid so soon after Sirius' death, but we planned this months back – Sirius and I… I was planning to take Harry to the cemetery where James and Lily are buried. He has never been there. I also want to talk to him. He has to open up sometime."

He stopped talking, but both Hermione and Molly knew that he was still thinking. Therefore, the two of them gathered by the counter and silently worked on breakfast. After a couple of minutes Hermione turned to her former professor and asked, "What if Ron and I go with you? Do you think it might help at getting Harry to talk about what's on his mind?"

Lupin shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Well, you think about it. I'm going to wake everyone up for breakfast," Hermione said as she left the kitchen.

As she reached the second floor, someone let out loud moan. She knew it was Harry. When she opened the door, Ron was trying to wake Harry, who was thrashing about on the bed covered in sweat and tears running down his face. Ron turned to Hermione, "Go get someone. He won't wake up." Without saying a word, Hermione bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Somebody come quick. Harry's having a nightmare and won't wake up. He's thrashing about and crying." She turned and left with the two adults following in her wake.

The three reached the room to find Ron desperately trying to rouse his best friend to no avail. As Harry tossed and turned, he started to say things. " Born to parents who have thrice defied him…Born as the seventh month dies…Will be marked as equal…Power the dark lord knows not…" Harry continued to mumble incomprehensible phrases as the others looked on.

Finally, after Lupin shook him and conjured a glass of water, which was dumped on Harry's face, he woke up. He stared around him trying to figure out where he was and why he was there. His heart was beating fast and he felt as if all his blood was rushing to his head. Lupin spoke first. "Harry, are you alright? You were having a nightmare. Is everything okay?"

Harry was not sure that he could answer. He had just been dreaming that he was in Dumbledore's office and was hearing the prophecy being told to him. Although it was Dumbledore's office, the pictures were not of the former headmasters. Instead, they showed the scenes of his parent's deaths, the death of Cedric, Lord Voldemort's rebirth, and the death of Sirius. It had been horrible. What made it worse, was that some of the other frames had pictures of people who had been killed in connection to Harry, and they were all blaming him for their deaths – even his parents and Sirius.

Finally, Harry found his voice, "I'll be fine. As you said, it was only a nightmare. It wasn't anything planted, just a bunch of memories crammed together. Go on. I'll be up in minute or two." Everyone in the room looked unsure, but they left. After they had gone, Harry got up and, forgetting it was his birthday, got ready for just another day.

"I won't do it. Not today, not after what I just witnessed. I'll help you two to distract him, though. Maybe some chess or something…" Lupin seemed to fade into thought after that statement.

Ron was totally bewildered by what had just been said and inquired as to what would not be done. Hermione told him about what Lupin had planned on doing that day, and had just finished when Harry entered the kitchen. He had obviously been listening outside the door because the first thing he said was, "You wanted to take me to their graves? Why won't you? I…I've never been. Can we not go? Did Dumbledore say we couldn't?"

Lupin looked up at the young man. He could not believe his ears. Harry wanted to go to the cemetery. He looked into Harry's eyes. They were filled with sorrow and pain. He remembered that just a few years ago, those same eyes had shown with happiness, and now they looked haunted. He also noticed a slump in the boy's shoulders. He looked like Hermione when she was carrying a book bag filled beyond the maximum capacity point. He has seen so much. I just don't understand how one person can go through that amount of horror and ask for so little. How can I deny him this one simple request? He takes full responsibility for everything that happens. Oftentimes more responsibility than he should. I just wonder why he wants to go so desperately.

Quite suddenly, he realized why Harry wanted to go. He had never gone there to find solace. He had been stuck at the Dursley's since the day after their murder. If he went and saw the graves, then he just might open up some. "Harry, I just figured that after that nightmare you wouldn't want to go. Dumbledore actually said that you could go. If you want to, then I can take you. A few other Order members will have to go also, but they'll stay back a ways."

"Please take me. And can Ron and Hermione go too? I'd like it if they could be there." Hermione noticed that this person, who as long as she had known him, was always the epitome of strength and assurance, now suddenly sounded weak and pleading. She hated Voldemort for the way that he had sent Harry on a path filled with unhappiness and strife. More than anything, she wanted Harry to be happy, and if the only way for that to happen was to go with him to his parent's gravesite, then nobody could keep her from going. If Lupin and Dumbledore knew what was good for them, then they would not say no to this one request from Harry.

Remus heard the pleading in Harry's voice and saw the determination on Hermione's face, and answered, "I'm sure that they can. Let me check with Dumbledore first, though. We also need to get everyone here who will be the guard. It may take an hour or so. You might as well eat some breakfast and then get ready. Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday Harry!"

Harry looked somewhat confused for a moment as he counted the days on his fingers. Then, he gave the faintest of chuckles and grinned when he said, "Wow! It is my birthday. I completely forgot. Who would have thought that would happen? I also just realized that you're the first person that I can remember ever telling me Happy Birthday. Yes, I know I get cards and such, but that is the first time I can remember hearing the words spoke to me. Well, I'm sure that my mum and dad said it on my first, but seeing as how I can't remember back that far…"

Everyone in the room seemed shocked by this information, but then they realized that they really should not have been. The Dursleys were about as heartless as one could be toward Harry. He did not even seem perturbed by the fact that they had never even wished him a happy birthday. This did nothing to help calm Molly and Hermione, both of whom were furious with anyone who dared make Harry's life any more miserable than it should be. They both knew that Harry's "family" was nothing compared to what Voldemort had done to him, but they still added to the stress of the life of the Boy-Who-Lived. That was more than enough reason to for the Dursleys to find themselves on the hated list of the two females.

At that moment, the fireplace burst into flames and Dumbledore stepped out of the hearth. He seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood because his eye was twinkling even more than usual – if that was even possible. "Good morning everyone. Harry! Happy Birthday! I remember the day I turned sixteen. It was an incredibly rainy day, and our house was nearly blown away by a tornado. Though, it doesn't look as if that is today's forecast. There's not a cloud in the sky." At this moment, Dumbledore looked around the room. He soon found who he was looking for.

"Ah, Remus. I've just came to see if you were still planning your outing. The guard needs to get here soon, if you are."

Lupin looked at his former headmaster and answered. He also asked for Ron and Hermione's permission to go as well. Dumbledore thought for a few moments and finally said that it was fine with him if Molly did not mind her son going. Molly did not have any objections because she knew that Arthur would be there as part of the guard.

"Good. Now that that's settled, I'll be going. Though, I am sure that I will be seeing you all again very soon. Do be careful today."

He turned to the three teenagers and added, "I want you three to take your wands with you. Keep an eye out, especially you Harry. Bye now." With that, Dumbledore went to the fireplace and flooed to where ever it was he was going.

After he had had breakfast, Harry left to go get ready for the trip. Soon small pops could be heard in the kitchen and living room as the guard apparated to headquarters. They started to plan the best way of travel and everything else that needed planning for the trip while Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley went to go find some quiet. They wanted to discuss what Harry had been saying while he slept.

"I think it was about himself. I have been told that James and Lily did escape Voldemort three times in the last war. Then, of course, Harry was born 'as the seventh month dies,'" Molly said.

"Yes, but what about all that other stuff? Being marked as equal and having an unknown power. What do you think that means? What power can Harry possibly have that Voldemort doesn't? Dumbledore would have told us if it was important – or at the least you adults that are in the Order." Hermione seemed to be trying to convince herself more than anyone else that the prophecy had been about someone other than Harry. She sounded, though, as if she had failed.

Ron had a thoughtful look on his face, and after a few moments said, "Maybe it wasn't about Harry at all. Maybe it was about Dumbledore or someone else."

"No. No, I am pretty sure that it was not about Dumbledore. He is older than Voldemort remember? He taught him transfiguration fifty years ago. Not only that, but who else does Riddle fear other than Dumbledore? No one. The only one he ever feared was Dumbledore. He's convinced that Dumbledore has power that he doesn't." Hermione's reasoning had wiped the triumphant look off Ron's face that had appeared when he made his great deduction.

Mrs. Weasley listened to the girl's words, and decided that it was probably best not to worry about it. "Well, if it's important, then someone will tell us. Let's not worry about it. I have a party to prepare for, and you two are about to leave. Remember what Mad-Eye always says, 'Constant Vigilence.'"

About that time, Lupin's head appeared in the door and said that if they were ready then it was time to leave. After a round of good-byes and admonitions to be careful, the four plus the guard left for the cemetery.


A/N: Well, here's the first chapter of a seven-chapter story. I'll update soon. Please R/R. ; )