Well, so much for the short wait and the "little bit I had left to type"...it turned out a bit bigger than I thought. Thank You for the reviews!!!! I don't own Harry Potter. Edited!!
That same day as the sun began to set, turning the snow orange, Harry sat in Dumbledore's office, the cup of tea in front of him forgotten. Fawkes amd the pictures were watching him intently; silent aside from the occasional chirp and rustle of fabric.
Finishing off the last delicacy on the tray, Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and neatly folded his hands. "I think you should return back to your common room, Harry. I can have a House-Elf bring some supper up to you…"
Harry sat still and watched Dumbledore. He was trying to end their meeting, but Harry wanted some kind of closure for the events today; something that would set them on the next, natural step to defeating their enemies. Harry felt tired. He wanted to close the hangings around his bed shut and sleep to wake up eleven years old again.
"Harry…" Dumbledore began. Harry could feel a lecture coming on. "I think it's futile to ignore your friends any longer." Harry frowned at him, but Dumbledore's calm exterior never wavered. "I don't want to put them in danger," Harry said softly. Dumbledore let out a small chuckle. "It's better to tell them now, Harry. You may never know…you may not get the chance to again." Dumbledore stood and walked over to a cabinet, many pairs of eyes following. "Besides, Miss Granger just might tie you to a chair and feed you Veritaserum, if you don't willingly confide." A click of a lock and the creaking of a door, then Dumbledore was making his way back to Harry, his Pensieve cradled in his arms. He sat it down on the desk in front of Harry and reclaimed his seat.
"You may find, Harry, that words may not always be enough," he said, nodding towards the Pensieve. Dumbledore turned his attention to a parchment on his desk. Harry gathered up the Pensieve and left the office.
The Hospital Wing was finally quiet. Ron sat alone beside Hermione's bed, staring blankly at her face and letting his thoughts wander. The two Death Eaters had been picked up by Ministry officials, one waiting questioning and the other his burial, leaving the whole school to gossip about their identities and what happened. One of the other two students (Hufflepuffs Ron and Hermione had hung out with that day) lay quietly in her bed. The other boy had been killed.
The sun was nearly finished going down and the room was dimly lit. Ron was thinking that they couldn't get though a Hogwarts year without one of them staying the night here when he heard a moan from the bed. He snapped back to reality while he watched Hermione open her eyes and look around. When they found Ron she smiled and croaked out "Hey."
He smiled weakly back and gave her the glass of water from the side table. She sat up with the pillows supporting her and accepted the glass. After she took a sip, she looked a bit more relieved and her voice sounded better too. "What happened?" she asked, bracing herself for the worst.
"After you were stunned…" Ron realized he was nearly whispering and raised his voice a bit. "After you were stunned, Matthew got hit with the Killing Curse…" Hermione's eyes started to fill up with tears. "Emma was stunned, too. Then Hermione…" She felt so sure that someone really dear to her had died. A hot tear rolled down her cheek, but she made no move to wipe it away. "Harry was there Hermione…He jumped on one of the Death Eaters and stunned him. The other guy grabbed me- I tried my hardest to fight him! – and hit Harry with some spell. Then he points his wand at me and says to Harry…he told him to drop his wand or he'd kill me." Hermione let out something between a gasp and a sob, making Ron feel extremely guilty.
"Harry let down his wand…I tried to stop it…The guy hit Harry with the Killing Curse, but he came out of it alive! Hermione, he was standing there as if nothing happened! The spell, I guess it kind of rebounded and hit the Death Eater..." Hermione was still crying but was trying to stop it; she kept wiping away the tears with her sleeve. Ron didn't know whether it was from relief, guilt or a mixture of both; but he felt completely helpless. He didn't like seeing people cry, it made him feel awkward because he never knew what to do. Especially with Hermione, who was normally in control.
Feeling like the worst person for sitting there and just watching her, he reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. She leaned into him and he let her cry onto his shoulder, feeling all the more worse when he felt her tears soak through his shirt. After a minute or so, her crying had diminished to sniffles and he let her lean back again. She looked at him with her red and puffy eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly. Ron only nodded. "Where's Harry?" she asked even more quietly.
"I don't know," said Ron, shrugging his shoulders. "Last I saw of him was after the spell rebounded…he just kind of picked up his wand and walked away." His brow furrowed when he thought of Harry's complex behavior after saving Ron's life and more so the way he did it.
Hermione must have had the same thoughts as he, for she took her robe from the edge of her bed and huddled inside it, as if it were a security. "I want to go talk to him," her voice was still quiet. Ron was about to ask if she should rather stay in bed. But then he decided that they had been through worse than a stunning spell and this was a little urgent. "If we can find him," he muttered and led the way out.
Little did Ron and Hermione know that Harry was sitting on a couch in front of the fire place in the Gryffindor common room, with a blanket over him and Crookshanks on his lap. He stared into the fire as he idly pet the purring ginger cat; clearly lost in thought. He had developed a slight headache and he found removing his glasses helped a bit when they weren't pinching his sinuses; they rested on the table beside him. This made the fire nothing but a big orange blob; but a comforting blob none-the-less.
He stirred when he heard the Fat Lady muttering and felt a rush of cool air. He waited until he had run his hand over Crookshanks' fur once more before looking over at the entrance. Ron and Hermione shaped blobs were approaching him, and his eyes still followed their progress as if he could actually make them out.
They settled onto the couch beside him as he replaced his glasses and everything became clear. He felt oddly comforted now that he had the knowledge this was the only thing to do. It wasn't as if Harry wanted to be separated from them, either. Ron and Hermione were strong, and he had reasoned they could have ended their friendship long ago if they had wanted to. They were in this of their own free will, he though. "Harry…" Hermione breathed, somewhere between asking a question and demanding an explanation. Dear Hermione, Harry thought fondly. He supposed she really would be tempted to use Veritaserum if he hadn't decided to tell them anything. Bending down casually, as if retrieving a drink or a book from the floor; Harry brought up the Pensieve and carefully placed it between them.
They looked a bit weary (Ron and Hermione had never seen the memories inside a Pensieve before) as Harry prodded his swirling thoughts with the tip of his wand. A bright sunny day appeared in its surface and he cleared his throat. "Dive in," he told him. They both cautiously brought their faces to the picture, unsure.
After the sensation of being forcibly pulled into the Pensieve, they blinked around at their surroundings. It was Hogwarts, in what must be summer. They were down near the lake, and students were out enjoying the sun. "Hermione…" Ron began, looking wide eyed at the students around him. "That was a Pensieve, Ron. It holds memories." She explained patiently. A burst of laughter caught their attention and they walked down to the commotion. They were all clustered down at the edge of the lake, near the tree that they had occasionally sat to do homework. Hermione and Ron gasped. "Ron," she said, a bit shocked, "That's-!"
"This is mad…" Ron said softly; equally as shocked as he stared at a young Lupin, Sirius, Pettigrew and who could only be James Potter. "Excuse me…" Ron reached out and waved his hand in front of the nearest person. No reaction. He shrugged and was about to say something when-
"Leave him ALONE!" They spun around to this new person. She had gorgeous red hair and shocking green eyes. "Lily," Hermione mumbled. Ron recognized her too, from the pictures Harry had.
Hermione suddenly grabbed his arm and pointed him away from Lily. "Ron, its Snape!" Ron found himself staring at a teenage Snape, every bit as awkward and gangly as Ron thought he would be. He had pink soap bubbles coming out of his mouth and was choking on them.
"All right, Evans?" said Harry's father, and Ron and Hermione spun back to him and Lily. She glared at him as if he were a disgusting pile off waste. "Leave him alone. What's he done to you?"
"Well," James said, "It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…"
"Jeez," Ron muttered as the crowd of students laughed. "Harry's dad was a bit of a prat…" Hermione gave him a reproachful look as the vision around them changed into…
A Graveyard. It was dark and foreboding, with crumbled headstones around. Wormtail was standing in front of a huge cauldron that was spitting sparks out of its poisonous liquid. He was pulling out a shinning dagger from his robes when the memory changed. They were no longer looking at Wormtail; but Death Eaters gathered in a semi-circle watching a tall, robed figure standing over a beaten Harry. He spoke in a high, cold voice that sent shudders down Ron and Hermione's back. "His mother died in the attempt to save him – and unwittingly provided him with a protection I had not foreseen…" said the figure. Ron felt his stomach twist violently as he gave a guess as to who the figure was. "I could not touch the boy." Voldemort raised a finger to Harry's cheek. "His mother left upon him traces of her sacrifice…this is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it…but no matter.
"I can touch him now." Voldemort stroked Harry's cheek almost gently. Ron and Hermione felt sick as they watched Harry grimace in pain. Ron didn't want to watch this at all. He didn't want to see Harry being tortured…
Now they were in Dumbledore's office, which was bright with early morning light. Harry and Dumbledore sat at his desk, the same Pensieve sitting between them. A misty figure of Trelawney was rotating above it, and was talking in a harsh voice:
"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 shall mark him as his equal, but he will have power 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…"
Trelawney was falling back into the Pensieve when Hermione and Ron felt themselves being pulled back by the shoulders; they felt themselves landing on the couch back in the common room. They blinked and looked around, as if making sure it were real this time.
Harry kept his eyes averted; he didn't even dare breathe. He started when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked up and it was Ron, looking at him with a rare intensity in his eyes. "Does that mean…" he whispered. Harry met his eyes and nodded. Ron held his gaze, unsure of what to say. Harry looked to Hermione, she was biting her lip and she looked a tad frightened. Harry felt suffocated. He wanted to walk out of the room forever and almost wished he had been born a muggle. Feeling tears rise unbidden in his eyes, he stood and walked to the window where he looked out but didn't really see anything. The suffocating feeling intensified. Harry felt cheated. Being a Golden Hero wasn't supposed to be like this. He felt utter defeat.
He dropped to his knees and couldn't keep the dull sob back. He heard the rustling of fabric and didn't note it. He felt movement behind him and paid it no heed. He knew he was drowning until gentle hands were turning him and he was embraced. "Will you still have me?" He whispered. Ron smiled crookedly at Harry and he heard Hermione sigh shakily. "Of course, you bloody idiot."
Eventually, Hermione let go of Harry and even Ron gave him a sort of brotherly hug. "Sorry," he said once they were back on the couch.
Hermione frowned at him and Ron rolled his eyes, his usual grin appearing. "Nothing to be sorry for." Hermione had said simply and left it at that. Ron sighed and stretched out his arms across the top of the couch. "Well…you have to admit; that explains a hell of a lot." Harry snorted softly. "No kidding," he muttered. He heard a small sniff and they both looked to Hermione. She was wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "Sorry," she said when she caught them looking. "I'm good now…I just…" she sniffed again and Harry couldn't miss the fond smile Ron gave her. Harry's mood lightened considerably and he smiled for what felt like the first time in a year. This will be something to look forward to, he thought. And he's probably completely oblivious. They noticed his mood change and they brightened with him; although not realizing said mood change was thanks to them and his thoughts about creating evil plots with Ginny.
Hermione returned back to her normal self and they talked about everything; first about the Prophecy and then Voldemort. Harry told them about his "power" and what had happened in the Atrium. They talked until the sun had risen and the shuffling of early-rising students could be heard.
Hermione stood up. "Well," she said cheerfully, "Let's get down to breakfast. If we have time you'd both better do some homework before class." She left them to follow. "How'd she know…?" Ron muttered.
Harry smiled. Everything was in its place and all was right.
Can you tell the ending was gimp? I was tired. I changed around the ending and it probably turned out worse than what it was before. Oh Well. THANKS EVERYONE FOR THEIR REVIEWS!!! I'm not finished yet, by the way. I plan to go past Christmas. For me, I felt the Prophecy was one of the biggest deals in the book so far. So I really think Ron and Hermione finding out would be a big deal. I didn't want to make them all "accepting" like I had them before. Lets put Harry through more angsty (ok…it is angst then--) torture!! I think it probably works (not). He's been under lots of stress and everything for a long time now, so an Emotional!Harry is a must. Anyway, that's what feedback is for, isn't it? (wink wink). Next chapter I'll pick on Fudge and Neville. MWAHAHA!!