Harry Potter and the Amulet of NaRuin

By JaBootiekins

Chapter 3

A Secret Revealed

Dumbledore snapped into motion after this brief display of affection. He fumbled for the papers that needed to be signed. After a round of signatures, Harry's Dumbledore's and both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's as witnesses, Dumbledore bound the parchments neatly in order. He then made copies for all those involved.

Dumbledore then began to explain the ramifications of the will. It seemed that because Sirius did not have any heirs and he was the last in the Black bloodline he, in a way made Harry his heir. Both of Sirius' cousins Mrs. Malfoy and Mrs. Lestrange where disqualified because as females they could not carry on the noble Black name. Harry's new legal name was to be Harry James Black Potter. The Black was to be more of a middle name used only for legal matters.

On a family tree it would appear as if Sirius had adopted Harry and as such the family name would live on in him. It was an old practice between the pure blood families to do this. Occasionally when a pure blood family didn't have any surviving heirs it was tradition to blend with another pure blood family.

The family vaults of Potter and Black were to be consolidated. At this Harry was confused. "What do you mean family vaults?"

"You couldn't possibly think that the vault you use housed the entire Potter fortune did you, Harry?" Dumbledore looked amazed that Harry didn't already know this information. His eyes went wide and his smile momentarily slipped from his wrinkled lined face.

Dumbledore then slipped into Professor mode and graciously explained Harry's financial situation. "The Potter's where among the first pure blood families along among others including the Weasley's and the Malfoy's. The Potter's have always amassed a considerable amount of money with each passing generation. As such they consumed the amount of money that they earned. Instead they added to the inheritance. With each generation since the beginning of recorded wizarding history the Potter fortune grew. It almost seemed as if the more money they possessed the less they used it. Potters have always lived a meager life, only buying what they needed to survive and be comfortable. Of course there have been the occasional exception, but as extravagant as they were even they could not put a dent into your inheritance. Over time the interest alone…well let's say that you Harry could off of it alone and never want or need for anything. Neither would any of your descendants for at least five or six generations."

Harry was in shock. He knew that he had a lot of money, but to be this rich was…disturbing to say the least. Harry found himself to be very happy that he had given the twins his Triwizard winnings.

"The vault that you have been using is only for you to live off of till you are of age." Dumbledore quickly moved onto other matters. "The Black fortune is almost as large. Only it primarily consists of investments and real estate. These holdings will be put into your account and you may decide what to do with them when you are of age next year. I do think that is all."

" Would you like to stay for dinner?" Mrs. Weasley asked Professor Dumbledore when he had finished his speech.

Harry had not realized that no one had left and everyone had learned of Harry's financial circumstances. Harry felt the heat rise in his cheeks and was fairly certain that he was doing a very good impression of the Weasley family blush.

"No, no, I really must be going. I have to present the will to both Gringotts and the Ministry before it is all legal." With that Dumbledore swept up his papers and walked over to the fireplace. After throwing in some green dust from a jar on the mantle into the embers he walked into the gentle flames and clearly stated, "British Ministry of Magic."

Harry stayed rooted to the spot. Firmly in denial that not only was he filthy rich, but that he had almost doubled his fortune in the matter of minutes. Joslurhen pulled him out of his catatonic state.

"So, you think you could pay me for my position in the D.A. I might want to renegotiate my contract now that I know that you are literally made of money." A wickedly sarcastic smile spread across her face. A glint was in Joslurhen's eyes that looked too wide and innocent.

Harry couldn't help but smile. No one seemed too surprised at Harry's wealth, and besides Joslurhen's comment no one else mentioned it.

Harry found himself spending more and more time practicing with Ginny. He couldn't really complain about spending so much time with the youngest Weasley. Harry was beginning to think that his feelings for Ginny were not completely platonic.

When she would enter the training room in a light cotton shirt and pants, Harry's heart would skip a beat or two. The way the light played in her soft, radiant, fiery red hair entranced Harry. He had never felt this way.

With Cho Chang he had experienced a faster heart rate and some butterflies, but nothing like this.

The worst thing was that Harry was friends with Ginny. He couldn't be nervous around her, not in front of her brothers.

Ginny used to have a crush on Harry. That was back before she had started her first year at Hogwarts. Harry couldn't tell if she still thought of him that way. Harry was sure that as she had gotten to know him she had left the schoolgirl crush far behind. She had dated other guys, she was dating Harry's dorm mate Dean.

Harry couldn't help but feel an odd twinge of anger whenever his thoughts drifted to this particular subject. Harry was not used to being jealous.

Sure he envied Ron. Ron had a large loving family and a normal life, something that Harry had always dreamed of having.

Harry decided that he liked Ginny Weasley. He just was not sure what to do about it. It was Ginny after all. He felt utterly lost when it came to girls and matters of the heart. Normally he would talk to Ron about it, but Harry was not comfortable talking to Ron about Ginny.

Harry tried one night to approach the subject. He tried to be as circumspect as he could. He didn't say who the girl he was asking about was and asked in the form of 'what ifs'. It ended horribly. Ron bombarded Harry with questions, 'who is she, when did you meet her, do I know her, how tall is she, what is her family like', it went on and on. Harry didn't know what a girl's height had to do with anything. When Harry had refused to tell Ron anything trying to shrug it all off as only a hypothetical question Ron was livid.

"I know that you like someone. It's written all over your face. You blushed when you were talking and got all nervous. You are a terrible liar Harry. Just tell me already it's not like your talking about Ginny, are you?" Ron's face light up with hope at the thought of Harry fancying his little sister.

"No!" Harry said a little too quickly. He could not believe that Ron had hit the nail on the head with his first guess.

Ron had an I-know-something-that-you-don't smirk on his face. His arms folded across his chest as if daring Harry to disagree with him.

"Harry, I am amazed that it took you this long to notice my little sis. Frankly I am getting tired of fighting guys off so that you'll have a chance." With that Ron joyfully sauntered out of the room and down to dinner.

Dinner that night had been very uncomfortable for Harry. Ron kept giving Harry looks and kicking him under the table. Joslurhen had noticed and was trying to distract Ron with talk of the upcoming Cannons Quidditch season. It was a testimony to how Ron felt about Harry getting together with Ginny that he completely ignored Joslurhen.

Harry was thankful that Ginny was sitting on the other side of Ron and couldn't see the looks he was throwing at Harry. Ron then did something that Harry would never forgive him for, if it didn't work out.

"Ginny have you gotten over your Dean infatuation yet? Other people, are waiting you know." Ron emphasized people while pointedly looking in Harry's direction. Harry was trying to win the battle with his emotions and mask the blush that was threatening to take over his facial features.

Ginny looked at her brother stunned. Everyone had stopped eating and all other conversation ceased. Even Fred and George who had stopped by to visit and give a report to the Order had sat in udder silence.

Ginny finally composed herself. "As a matter of fact Dean broke-up with me two days ago. He said that he just couldn't handle it anymore, being my boyfriend was just too much work. You wouldn't happen to know why he was suddenly disinterested with me would you?" Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Fred and George both blush. They then coughed loudly.

"Um…My dear Ginny, do not fault ikle Ronniekins"

"He doesn't have the creativity"

"Or the means"

"To scare away a boy like Dean"

"That boy was no where near your standard"

"I mean really Ginny"
"You really ought to be more careful in picking"

"A boy next time. This one didn't even put up that much of a fight."

Both the twins where looking at Harry with an evil grin and gave Harry a wink before Ginny started in on them. Harry almost felt sorry for them, almost. Ginny definitely had a temper and she really did not like her brothers butting in on her love life.

Harry thought that she was beautiful when in mid-rant. Her hair falling down in gentle waves, her eyes alight with a fiery passion, the way her mouth never thinned to a tight angry line, Ginny was in her element. That and it gave him an excuse to stare at her.

Training with Ginny was harder than Harry had expected.

Ginny was more than proficient at all of the weapons. She would put Harry through his paces with all of them twice a day, once in the morning and again right before bed. Harry was catching up to her skill level steadily. Within the week he would have to find someone better to spare with.

The exception was with the Sword and the Sais'. Harry had already surpassed her ability with the Sword. Ginny excelled at the Sais'. Harry never had the slightest chance against her with them. The way she would duck and spin, dip and roll was amazing. Not only was she quick she anticipated her opponent's moves and would play them to her advantage.

Harry would get caught up in the pure poetry of her motions and always would fail to see the Sais in her other hand coming down with the blunt end to contact painfully with the nape of his neck. Or the quick sweeping of her leg that slapped him onto the floor, hard.

The training room always adjusted its size to provide ample room for what ever was going on inside it. Dumbledore had charmed it to do this. It reminded Harry of the Room of Requirement now. So Harry never ran out of room to back away from Ginny. On the other hand Ginny never ran out of room to turn Harry's pitiful excuse of an attack to her advantage.

Harry was now lean and toned. Underneath his shirt corded muscles worked vigorously to keep up with the graceful movements of Ginny. Though Harry was in shape when the training started, he now had muscle as well as stamina.

Harry often took any chance he had to practice alone. It was oddly calming to go through the motions with all of the weapons. Harry's mind would come up with scenarios or would replay a spar he had with Ginny. This seemed to help him more than anything else, as Harry's Library would go through great battles and muggle duels without Harry knowing. Harry was not sure how the knowledge of so many muggle duels had gotten into the Library.

Many order members liked to watch Harry as he flowed gracefully across the room going through all the weapons one by one methodically. Harry was always lost in a trance and never noticed his audience. Most loved to see Harry practice with the sword. Harry used it as an extension of his arm. The wide arcs and balanced footsteps were perfect. Harry acted as if he were born with it in his hand. Instinctively wielding the two-foot sword with all the precision and grace of a master.

Ginny was a tough taskmaster, but she always let up when she sensed that Harry had, had enough. She had also started to train the others.

Ginny let them try each weapon once against her. She then picked out which one suited them best and continued to train them in that one weapon.

Ron used the Staff. When he picked it up he twirled it above his head and brought it down to his side in a ready stance. Ginny had attacked him mercilessly. The fierce clicks of staff on staff filled the training room for five minutes. Ron finally yielded to Ginny out of shear exhaustion.

Hermione surprised everyone with her natural talent with the Tethered Mace. She had tried all the other weapons leaving it till last. When she picked it up she just stared at it. Ginny had instructed her how to use it and demonstrated how to get it swinging. When everyone had retreated to the wall Hermione started the slow revolution. She then moved on to quicker ones the Mace and tether becoming a blur at her side. The blur moved over her head and then Hermione struck all three of the targets that Ginny had set up in one shot. She then did a demonstration of her control by making the mace slow and doing some fancy tricks. Ron had taken a sharp intake of breath when the mace circled Hermione's neck and held it till she gently put the mace back where she had gotten it.

Ginny didn't even have to test Joslurhen. She was a master with the Daggers. Joslurhen's grandfather had taught her since she was nine. He had never told her how he had learned.

With the five training in both weapons and magic the summer started to slip away from them. Mrs. Weasley had actually complained about there being too much studying going on and not enough fun. Harry and Ron had almost burst out laughing when they heard her say it.

They would have that is but seeing as they were out of bed setting up a prank on the girls they thought better of it.

Harry had noticed that Joslurhen had been acting odd for the last couple of days and took the opportunity of a training session to ask her what was wrong. Joslurhen had taken to showing Harry how to use the Daggers instead of Ginny. This freed Ginny up to train the others.

While trying to concentrate on where his daggers where concealed about his body and on the targets he was trying to hit, he started a conversation.

"Are you homesick, Joss?" Harry asked in between throws.

"No." Joslurhen answered and then corrected Harry's grip.

"I can tell that something is bothering you. What is it?" Harry hit his next target dead on.

"I have been keeping a secret of sorts from you." Joslurhen said with an even tone while indicating Harry's next target to his left. Harry was in shock but still managed the half twist and sent his Dagger soaring into the thick wood. Not once in his nearly sixteen years had he been given such an honest and straightforward answer.

"What?" Harry had meant it more to confirm what he had heard but Joslurhen continued to explain the secret.

"I didn't know how to tell you and I was unsure how you would react." Harry recognized that Joslurhen had gone into her diplomatic mode. She was straightforward and emotionless. Harry knew that Joslurhen slipped into this state when her emotions became too powerful for her to handle. Sort of like a defense mechanism. It separated her from the situation and made it easier for her to cope.

"I" Here Joslurhen hesitated. That stopped Harry and made him face her. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks. Joslurhen never cried and she never hesitated. It was one thing that she had taught Harry, if you are not sure of what you are going to say than do not say anything. She then quoted a muggle saying 'It is better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.'

"I am a Slytherin." Her head was down cast. Sobs fought to escape her throat. Joslurhen tried to keep them from gushing forth. As a result her whole body started to shudder violently.

Harry though in shock immediately rushed to her, enveloping her with a tight embrace. Willing his arms to overpower her pain.

"I should have told you in the letter, let you know what you were getting yourself into. Everyone knows that you hate Slytherin. I just thought if you got to know me you might not care. The sorting hat almost put me into Gryffindor you know. It all but shouted it before it suddenly stopped. I felt a warm sensation go through my body. I thought that I might have broken the thing and almost took it off. Then it told me in a far away voice that due to ties that bind I must be placed into Slytherin. It was to help my kin, so that I may fulfill my destiny in vanquishing the evil one. I didn't understand then. I don't think I really understand now." At this Joslurhen totally broke down if Harry had not been holding her she would have ended up in a heap on the ground.

Why? Why did these things always happen to him? Harry had finally found a relative that didn't treat him like dirt, was magical and an awesome person as a whole, and then he had to find out that she belonged to Slytherin his hated house rival.

Harry stood there like that for a long time, even after Joslurhen had cried all the tears she possessed. They stood there rooted to the spot. Both were lost in their own thoughts. Neither one of them noticed the three forms of Ron, Ginny and Hermione staring at them in horror from the doorway.