Chapter 21: Christmas And The Truth about Julia

"Its Christmas morning everyone!" yelled Padraig as he ran down the hallway and jumped down the stairs towards the living room. Doors slowly opened on the second and third floor. Harry rubbed his eyes and put his glasses on to look out into the hall, Ron and Ginny looked half awake while Hermione looked like she had been up for hours. Lupin was trying to tie his robe but kept missing the loophole.

"Severus I'm gonna kill ya," grumbled Mad Eye as the group slowly made they're way down into the living room.

"Merry Christmas!" shouted Padraig who was running around in a Santa hat. The morning was filled with "oohs" and "ahhs" as gifts were being unwrapped from all around the room.

"Oh Molly I love it!" cheered Mr. Weasley as he looked at a television set Mrs. Weasley had bought for him. "What does it do?"

"Oh Professors ya shouldn't have," said Hagrid who was wearing the new dragon hide vest that the Order had bought for him.

"Oh Merlin!" gasped Mrs. Weasley at Fred and Georges gift.

"What did they get?" ask Ron who was downing a chocolate frog.

"There was some space next to our shop and we bought it for mum for her to have her own knitting store," smiled Fred.

"I mean if she has to torture us with these," George held up his G sweater. "Then why not torture everyone." The Weasley family all grouped together and had a hug, as Harry watched them he noticed Hermione found her gift from him under the tree. She unwrapped it then opened the box.

"Harry!" she squealed and threw her arms around him.

"What is it?" asked Tonks. Hermione showed the round hart shaped locket with the inscription "My Herat" on the front of it. Then she opened it to show Tonks the part of the kissing picture and opposite that was another inscription which read "Love, H.J.P"

"Now I feel like my present isn't worth giving," said Hermione still in shock at Harry's gift.

"I'll love anything you give me, just because it comes from you," said Harry as he hugged Hermione.

"Oh gag me with a spoon," said Ron from the other side of the room.

"I'll remember to say that when I catch you and Luna together," said Hermione. Ron turned red as always and the twins began to give him guff. "Here," said Hermione. "I saw the emeralds and thought of you, then I realized what it was and thought it might bring you some luck." Harry opened the box to find a shamrock with three deep green emeralds as the leaves. "I didn't know if you'd wear a necklace but I can have them make it into an ear ring or bracelet or something else," Hermione was nervous about the gift.

"I love it," said Harry, whose eyes sparkled a little brighter as he looked at the stones. "Here," he turned Hermione around and grabbed the locket from her then clasped it around her neck. He then gave her his necklace and turned around for her to do the same. The shamrock rested just under Harry's neck while Hermione's locket hung just above her chest.

"You should probably hand out the pictures now," whispered Hermione.

"Oh yeah." Harry went over to the corner where he hid the box. He put it down in front of the tree then cleared his throat. "If you'd all just give me a minute I have something I'd like to say." All movement stopped and all eyes were on Harry. "I know we've gone through a lot together and we still have one more big challenge to overcome. But I wanted you all to have something to remember this time by, the resurrection of the Order and the beginning of Voldemort's downfall," Harry paused to look at his adopted family. "I will do everything it my power not to let you down, I promise," and with that Harry started to pass out the wrapped picture of the Order. He also gave Draco and Padraig a wrapped present.

"What's this?" asked Draco as he took the gift from Harry.

"You know Colin. Never runs out of film," said Harry as he moved on. Draco and Padraig unwrapped their gifts to find a picture of the eight Slytherin's all together by the lake.

By the afternoon things had quieted down significantly. Hermione was escorted to see her parents and wouldn't be back until tomorrow. The Weasley's all went to check out the space the twins had bought for Mrs. Weasley. Dumbledore and McGonagall went back to Hogwarts to check in and make sure everything was okay. Snape had taken Draco and Padraig somewhere, leaving Harry with Lupin, Moody, Tonks, Dobby and Winky. Harry had received a large photo album from the Order. The album was full of photos and small pieces of memorabilia related to his parents. He went up to Julia's room to start looking at it.

"Merry Christmas Julia," whispered Harry as he looked at the still form of his professor. "I wish you'd wake up, it would make everyone happy . . . it would make me happy," said Harry as he looked down at the bed sheets. "I have so many questions and I feel like you're the only person I can talk to about them . . . oh I got you a Christmas present," Harry put the Order picture on her night stand next to the picture of her parents. He then pulled up a chair and stared to look through the album. They're Head Boy and Girl Badge was attached to a photo of the two of them standing at the front of the hall directing first years after the opening feast. Both James and Lily's letters informing them of their acceptance into Hogwarts was also on the page. Harry took a long look at each page. Watching every picture with immense concentration Harry soon lost track of time and before to long he heard a soft knock on the door.

"Harry?" came the voice of McGonagall. Harry was startled and dropped the album.

"Professors? I thought you were at Hogwarts?" asked a confused Harry.

"I was this afternoon Mr. Potter but it's now dinner time," she smiled.

"Wow, okay I'll be down in a moment," said an amazed Harry. McGonagall smiled and closed the door. Harry reached down to grab the album and noticed it had opened to the wedding section. An invitation to the wedding was on the first page, there was a picture of James and Lily and after a moment they began to talk.

"James Potter," said his father.

"And Lily Evens –"

"Soon to be Potter," smiled James.

"Invite you to join us on this special day," smiled Lily.

"What else are you doing," joked James.

"James," Lily smacked him then looked back at Harry. "We hope you to see you there."

Harry didn't noticed but a single tear had formed in his right eye, he had no idea that hearing his mother and father would have such and impact. He slowly ran his finger around their faces then looked at the next pages. Several pictures of the wedding were there, Sirius, Lupin, James and Peter all standing together in their finest dress robes and Lily and James feeding each other cake. A picture taken during the ceremony shows them looking up at Dumbledore who's holding a very large book. Then another picture caught Harry's attention. It was a picture of James and Lily stand next to two older people. Harry took a closer look at the picture and felt that he had seen those two older people before. He looked up at Julia then to the picture of her parents. Pieces to a puzzle began to slowly came together.

"Well first let me introduce our new guest, Julia is one of the finest Auror's Ireland has, but she is also a close friend of mine and I'd trust her with my life."

"He reminds me of James. I know both he and Lily would be very proud of him."

"You can't push them that hard yet, they don't understand your reasoning for it." "Everyday we don't train them is another student we could lose." "I know you're upset from the vision—" "Upset! Albus if I can't figure out what I'm suppose to do, he could die."

"I have severed the Potter family for five generations."

As Harry started to remember all of these details another came to mind, the fear he saw in Bellatrix's face when Julia had shown herself. Harry could feel the anger boiling within him. Had Dumbledore truly kept this from him? Harry's shaky hand took Julia's picture from the nightstand and he placed it beside the picture in the album. They looked identical except that his picture in the album looked like it had been cut off. Harry slowly took Julia's picture out of the frame and noticed a part of it that was bent back. He took a deep breath and bent the piece forward. He was now looking at the complete picture of his parents with Julia's parents and Julia. He looked back at the album and read the caption underneath it. "James and Lily with Mr. and Mrs. Potter." Everything slipped out of his hand as he looked up at Julia.

"Who are you," he chocked back the angry tears that were forming. At breakneck speed Harry had ran out of the room down the stairs and was standing in the kitchen seething mad. His eyes were red and his breathing was erratic as he stared at Dumbledore.

"Harry dear, what's the matter?" asked a concerned Mrs. Weasley.

"WHO IS JULIA?!" roared Harry. Dumbledore's face lost all color.

"Harry maybe we should –"

"WHO IS SHE?" Harry screamed again. Dumbledore looked destroyed, he knew that Harry might find out before he told him the truth and now he could see the consequence of his actions yet again. By trying to protect Harry he hurt him even deeper, this being the deepest cut of all. There was no way out of this and the old wizard knew it, so he took a moment then looked the angry young man in the face.

"Her name is Julia Genevieve Potter and she is your aunt," said Dumbledore with a great sigh. For several moments no one spoke. Harry continued to stare at Dumbledore with complete hatred in his eyes. Lupin was the first to act and he slowly rose from the table and made his way over to Harry.

"Harry –"

"Did you know!?" Harry's head slowly turned to Lupin. Harry's gaze was so piercing that Lupin had to look away.

"I did," whispered Lupin.

"And you!?" spat Harry as he looked at McGonagall, who nodded her head. He then slowly leaned down on the table and looked at Dumbledore. "You promised you wouldn't keep anything from me again," he whispered.

"Harry –"

"YOU PROMISED!" screamed Harry as he pounded the table with his fist. "SHE'S MY FAMILY! HER BLOOD COULD HAVE PROTECTED ME!"

"No she couldn't have Harry, her blood comes from your fathers side and even though he did die to protect you, his sacrifice wasn't as dramatic as your mothers," said Dumbledore in a calm voice. No one had left the kitchen, even Lupin was rooted to where he stood.

"All I've heard in my life is how I have no family left, and yet here I am asking you AGAIN why you kept something from me. Not only did you keep the prophecy from me, you kept this!" as Harry finished he could hear murmurs around the kitchen.

"Did he say prophecy," said Fred to George.

"Go on tell them! Tell them what the prophecy said! You don't have to worry about lying to me any more," jeered Harry as he continued to give Dumbledore and menacing look. The lights in the kitchen began to flicker and Dumbledore's eyes rolled back in his head.

"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 will 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 . . ." the reverberating voice that came from Dumbledore scared everyone including Harry, but he did not show it. The kitchen had become so still that no one was breathing, even Dobby and Winky stood in complete awe.

"Now here's a prophecy for you . . . the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord DOESN'T CARE! Go find someone else to play hero because I'm done," with that, Harry left the kitchen kicking the door behind him. He walked back up to his room where he slammed the door to make it seem like he wasn't coming back out, but he had another plan. He grabbed his broom, invisibility clock, and his Order robe and quickly tiptoed back down the stairs.

"He's never going to trust us again," Harry heard Dumbledore say.

"Albus you had to keep Julia a secret. Not just for Harry's sake but for hers," said McGonagall trying to comfort the Headmaster.

"Maybe someone should talk to him," voiced a concerned Lupin.

"No one's going to be able to talk with him now Professor. He's been betrayed by the only family he has ever known when all he's ever done was love us. You best leave it for tomorrow morning," to Harry's surprise his best friend Ron had just spoke those words, but they weren't enough to keep Harry from leaving. He threw on his robe then his cloak and quietly slipped out the door. Moments later he was flying high over London, he flew for almost an hour until he landed in the back yard of a familiar house. Harry landed in the shadows and stayed there for several minutes, keeping his invisibility cloak on. Mad Eye might be crazy but he knew what he was doing because Harry soon saw two Death Eaters land in the middle of the back yard.

"Why do we patrol this muggle house again?" said one of the Death Eaters.

"Just in case those muggles related to Potter show up," said the other who was looking around.

"They're not coming back, look they got sheets on the furniture. The house hasn't been lived in for several months," complained the Death Eater.

"Lord Voldemort wants to be sure so that's why we check every now and then. Besides it's nice to get out of the forest, that place creeps me out," said the Death Eater who looked right at Harry.

"You ain't kidding . . . well we probably could stop in at The Hog's Head before we go back to the forest," the Death Eater began to mount his broom. The other Death Eater continued to stare at the area where Harry stood. Harry had slowly pulled out his wand and had it pointing at the Death Eater just in case.

"Sure you can buy me a butterbeer," said the Death Eater as he turned around and mounted his broom. Once they were gone Harry waited another half an hour before moving. He slowly crept up to the sliding glass doors and pointed his wand at them.

"Alohomora," he whispered. He heard the clicking of the door unlock and pulled it open and quickly stepped in. He closed the curtains so that no one could see into the house. He finally took off the invisibility cloak and stood for a moment in the dinning room.

"Lumos Minimus," a small light appeared at the end of his wand. Harry couldn't believe he was back in the Durley's house but he knew no one would look for him here. Everything had sheets over it. The house had an eerie feeling to it and for a moment Harry considered flying to the Leaky Caldron. He slowly walked into the hallway leading to the front door. He stopped for a moment and looked at the now much smaller door of the cupboard under the stairs. He leaned against the opposite wall and slowly slid down it until he was sitting on the floor facing the cupboard.

"All those years I was trying to get out and now here I am trying to get back in," whispered Harry to himself. He reached forward and opened the door, it looked as though no one had cleaned it since he last occupied it those six years ago. Harry took out his wand and pointed it to the little cupboard. "Scourgify." The cobwebs and dust bunnies vanished and the cupboard looked bran new again. Harry squeezed himself into the small space and closed the door.

As he sat with his knees in his chest a strange feeling overcame him. For the first time in years Harry didn't feel like the boy who lived, he felt like Harry the boy who no one noticed. A sensation he had wished to feel so many times in these last years. He thought it strange how this small space, which was his sanctuary as a small boy, would become it again in his young adult life. His thoughts then drifted back to Julia. As Harry went over all the events in the last couple of months everything seemed to make much more sense. He then thought about what he might have said if Julia was awake. Would he have yelled at her too? Harry began to feel disgusted with himself. It seems that whenever some new piece of information came crashing down on him his instinct was to run. But what else was he to do, he never had a mentor or a real parent to teach him otherwise, all he had was his raw emotions and his gut instinct. They had served him well up to this point. What if something happened to Julia while he was gone? Harry now cursed himself for only thinking about his needs. He wouldn't be mad at Julia when she woke up. Harry had the feeling that she was kept away by Dumbledore. But what if she didn't wake up? This thought now loomed in Harry's mind. What if he lost one more person he could call family? He drove the thought out, some how he could feel that Julia was going to be okay. Harry decided to get some rest, he curled into a ball and put the invisibility cloak over him just incase any one wandered in. His last thoughts were about the new family he might have, an aunt that would actually love and care for him and a home he could go to any time he needed. To an outsider it might seem ironic that in a place where Harry only found misery and despair, hope would blossom and a chance to finally have what Harry has dreamed of all his life. A family.