Harry Potter and the Amulet of NaRuin

By JaBootiekins

Chapter 4

Truth

Harry woke up the early. Sleep had come fitfully. Harry spent most of his time tossing and turning. His mind could not wrap around what Joslurhen had told him. When Harry had gone to bed Ron was nowhere to be seen. God how would Ron take this?

Joslurhen. Harry was not sure about her any more. Was this all some sick twisted little plot by Malfoy to mess with Harry? Did Voldermort send her? Harry longed to believe that Joslurhen was loyal, trustworthy and just who he had thought that she was before.

Ron was snoring in the bed next to Harry's. Harry had a horrible headache and decided that the best remedy would be a shower.

As the hot water cascaded down his back Harry revisited the events of the previous night. Joslurhen had appeared to be genuine, but was it all a sham? After the water ran cold Harry sat on the tile of the shower still immersed in his own mind.

Joslurhen was worth the risk. That was Harry's decision.

Dumbledore must have known her house. The old man's insistence on a blood test now seemed very practical to Harry. Harry still wondered why Dumbledore did not tell him that his cousin was Slytherin.

Joslurhen had not done anything to warrant Harry's distrust as of yet, and his instincts where to trust her. So far Harry's instincts had carried him a long way. Then again his instincts had also led to the death of Sirius.

Snape, Harry would have to ask Snape if Joslurhen had anything to do with the Death Eaters. While Harry did not have any misconceptions about the way Snape felt for him, he did know that Snape owed his father a life debt and Harry was going to call in that debt if he had to.

Harry slowly made his way to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was busy preparing breakfast and she did not notice Harry entering.

Harry spent the whole day in the training room. Vigorously going through all the moves that he knew both with and without weapons. His flowing movements belonged to an internal struggle, and no one wanted to know what it was that had Harry so upset. In previous years whenever Harry was upset he drew in on himself. Now that he had the outlet of training, he could be found quite often in the training room no matter the time, day or night. Hardly anyone spared against him anymore.

When fighting Harry's eyes would take on this glint. The glint alone would make sane people throw down their weapons in surrender. It was the glint that many battle hardened witches and wizards recognized. This particular glint entered the eyes of the most powerful and determined wizards. If that wizard had in his possession a weapon most knew full well to steer clear. Who knows what said wizard was capable of?

In anyone other than Harry they wouldn't be so worried, or in awe. For most to behold Harry Potter savior of the wizarding world with the glint and weapons in his hands, well they had one of two reactions. One was to faint, the other was to cry tears of joy. Harry would become so lost in the dance of battle, power seemed to radiate off him. You could almost see magic swirl around him waiting to be called upon. Most of the time the young man would try to conceal his strength. He would almost fade into the background if you let him. A good skill for an Auror to have, Moody thought.

Ginny still fought him, although her brothers had all gone to her secretly and pleaded for her not to. Even her mother and father had asked her not to. Ginny would smile shyly and reply that he was not ready to learn from her master yet.

Ron, Ginny and Hermione were oddly absent from the training room today. No one had seen them all day. They were up in Sirius bedroom.

Joslurhen on the other hand had been in the kitchen. She was preparing food and cleaning. In his experience when a woman acted like this she was ether on the verge of a nervous break down or had already had one. Joslurhen was a curious one. Moody had met many people in his life but none compared to this young lady. The perfect mixture of Gryffindor and Slytherin she's, loyal, cunning, brave, and devious. She would do what has to be done to see that Harry gets through all of this not just survive. Moody was glad to see that Harry finally had someone that was firmly in his corner. Someone that cared about only what was best for Harry not what was best for the war effort, and what Harry could do to help.

Moody knew about the prophecy, always had. He had watched as knowledge changed how people treated Harry. He was no longer a person, a boy, but a weapon that needed to be honed. The ones that intrigued Moody were those that knew and treated Harry better because of it. The people that Harry had surrounded himself with were amazing. The boy either attracted loyal people or he instilled loyalty in all those that knew him.

Ginny Weasley would be the one that Harry had the most trouble with Moody could see it. But it was not for the reasons that most people assumed. She may seem to be flying in the face of reason and putting her life on the line by sparring Harry, but what they couldn't see is that Harry got an entirely different glint in his eyes when he opposed her. He would never hurt a hair on that girls head. Their dance, Moody had always noticed that battles especially one on one combat resembled a dance, was one of love. Most people would say Moody was crazy for making this observation, how could a fight be love. They just didn't understand that while Harry and Ginny were physically at war with each other on an emotional level they were dancing. It boggled even Moody at times.

Harry always seemed to lighten up considerably after sparring with Ginny. Harry usually won these matches but he strung them out longer and longer. It was not that he became distracted but that he was so caught up in the movements that he choose not to end the fight at the first opportunity. Ginny was always waiting for Harry to pass up an opportunity and would catch Harry with something unexpected. Good, Moody thought, Ginny was trying to teach Harry not to underestimate his opponent. He did not have the luxury of choosing when the fight ended; he had to end it as soon as he could.

The soft sounds of crying brought Moody's attention to the kitchen. Joslurhen lay in a heap on the floor gently sobbing. So she was on the verge. Moody in no way felt comfortable in these kinds of situations. Joslurhen had however touched Moody, he felt an odd sense of protectiveness that he had not felt since his own children had died. That was it Joslurhen reminded him of his youngest daughter. Moody decided then and there that he was going to take on this young girl as his own responsibility to make it up to his daughter. He may not have been there for her, but he dam well was going to be there for Joslurhen.

Moody leaned down and cradled Joslurhen in his gnarled arms, gently rocking her. A feeble sound emitted from his throat. Only Joslurhen could hear the lullaby he sang into her hair.

"Ron! Don't talk about her like that!" Ginny shouted at her brother.

"Why not? Do you need your ears checked? She is Slytherin! Slytherin!" Ron's face was starting to turn red as all Weasley's did when in mid rant.

"Joslurhen has never lied to us. Let's be logical about this." Hermione had sat quietly while Ginny and Ron where having their shouting match. Ron visibly paled when she spoke. Ginny knew what was coming and slowly sat down to avoid being hit by the brunt of her brother's rage.

"Lied. Really she never lied." Ron's voice was deceptively calm. "How do we know if she lied? Have you checked everything she said? How do we even know if she is really related to Harry? This could all be some sort of set up."

"Joslurhen is Harry's cousin Professor Dumbledore performed a blood test himself before he revealed Order Headquarters to her. Now as to her life story, yes I did check to see if she was lying. I also administered a potion to counter act the effects of poly juice potion. I then ran her DNA through a muggle data base confirming Dumbledore's findings that she is a blood relative of Harry's. What I do not know for certain is her affiliations with Voldermort." Ginny and Ron both flinched when Hermione sad his name, being a muggle Hermione had never learned to fear his name. "What we need to do is to calmly and overtly find out if she is for or against Harry. Blood relation does not guarantee loyalty."

The room was silent. Ron's mouth hung open. Ginny had to stifle a giggle; of course Hermione would have to investigate anyone that claimed to be related to her best mate. After the Poly juice disaster with Barty Couch Jr. she would also have to make sure that Joslurhen was not using it either. Ron had seriously underestimated Hermione's curiosity and resourcefulness.

"Harry is not going to take this well."

Ron interrupted Hermione. "What do you mean, he warmed right up to the idea. Hugging her like it didn't phase him at all." Ron looked indignant with his arms crossed across his chest. Ginny knew that Ron was jealous of Joslurhen. He thought that she was stealing Harry away long before this news came out. Now he just had a reason not to like her.

"You really don't understand Harry do you?" The words had left her mouth before she could think. Having said it though she didn't want to take them back, she had wanted to have this talk with Ron for a while now.

"What?" Ron whipped around glaring at his little sister.

"You heard me. You may be Harry's best mate but you are clueless as to how he feels and how his mind works."

"Oh, and what makes you the authority on Harry?" Ron smirked. If he thinks he can pull the 'your not part of the golden trio' he can get over it.

"I know him. You can't spend as much time around him as I have and not. Harry reacted like he did because she was crying. Harry cannot handle people crying. He was never aloud to cry. Ron how can you share a dorm with him for five years and not notice that even when he is in immense pain Harry will not cry out, or cry at all if he is conscious. Those horrible muggles conditioned him to think he was not worth tears, of his own or someone else's. Joslurhen was crying and Harry automatically thought that it was his fault. It didn't matter that he feels betrayed and angry; he had hurt her and was trying to make it better. That is all Harry has ever tried to do make everything better for everyone else no matter the personal cost. Did you ever realize that Harry couldn't swim? In the second task Harry went into the lake to save you without knowing how to swim." Ginny knew that Harry was going to skin her alive for that. After Ginny would spar with Harry they would talk. Harry had taken to telling Ginny things that she knew Ron and Hermione didn't. It made her feel special and she held his secrets close to her heart, but Ron just had to see that Harry always would think of everyone else first.

"What?" Ron choked. He sat down hard on the bed gripping the bedpost for support.

"Harry's relatives never took him anywhere or let him do anything enjoyable. He would always have to stay with Mrs. Figg when they would do fun stuff. So Harry never got to go to the lake or beach. Did you know that Harry has never seen the ocean? He only ever went to the Zoo once and ended up locked up in a cupboard for it." Ginny knew that she was babbling now but she couldn't stop herself. Her voice had gotten quiet. She knew that Harry hated it when people felt pity for him but she couldn't help that either. "Don't let him know that you know that. It would humiliate him."

"How…how do you know?" Ron's eyes were rimmed with tears. His voice was strained.

"He told me." Ginny let out a sad huff. " He was joking about it the whole time like it was normal."

The room sat in silence, tears streaming down their faces. That is how Moody and Joslurhen found them. Joslurhen looked like she had been dragged through a bush. Her hair was wild and matted. Her face was pink, made raw from all the tears that she had tried to wipe away. Even her usually perfect robes were disheveled.

"I want to prove myself." Her voice was determined and she was looking boldly at everyone in the room.

"How?" Hermione had recovered from the shock of seeing Moody supporting a visually distraught Joslurhen first.

"Veritaserum." Moody stated plainly.

"Not now, I want Harry to be there too. Will you all join me in the training room before dinner?"

"How did you know that we knew and where to find us?" This time it was Ron that spoke. His face that had moments before held compassion now was filled with rage.

"I told her that you were all up here. Since you have all left Potter alone since last night she assumed that you would already know." Moody was speaking for Joslurhen. She looked like the effort of explaining herself might drain her completely.

Before dinner that night Harry was still in the training room. He had not eaten all day. Some one had left food had in the corner at lunch. Harry had long ago decided what to do about Joslurhen, now he was just working off all the anger he had stored up over the last 15 years of his life. No one interrupting him gave Harry the opportunity that he had wanted.

Harry had practiced to let off the steam that he was feeling at the moment but not to vent his anger from the past. Harry only stopped when he collapsed from exhaustion. His muscles refused to work any longer. Harry did feel better though, like a weight had been lifted.

Ron, Ginny and Hermione entered the room just as Harry had dragged himself into a chair by the fire. Harry was starting to get cold. He had discarded his shirt at the beginning of the day and was drenched in sweat. Which was rapidly cooling his aching body now that he had stopped punishing it.

No one spoke and for that Harry was grateful. He didn't think he could answer their questions right now.

Joslurhen entered the room. She looked strong, almost more so than she normally did. Her face was stained with tears though. If Harry had the strength to force his muscles to obey he would have enveloped Joslurhen with a hug and reassure her that it was all right. Harry could not stand to see her hurt.

That is when Harry noticed Moody. Moody stalked, well he stalked as well as someone with a peg leg could, across the room and handed Joslurhen a vile. He then gave an identical vile to Hermione.

"They contain the exact same potion seeing as they are from the same batch." He then left.

"What is going on here?"

"I am going to prove myself to you and your friends." Joslurhen locked eyes with Harry. Harry now knew what was in the vials.

"You don't have to do this."

"I want to" Joslurhen then stuck her tongue and let three drops land before swallowing and quickly sitting down. She handed Hermione the practically full vial.

"Wait a minute to make sure it is in effect then ask me anything."

The air in the room seemed stiff. Harry sat shocked. Joslurhen was going to prove her loyalty. She trusted him with all her secrets, as one could not hold anything back while using Veritaserum.

"What is your full name?" Hermione had positioned herself directly in front of Joslurhen. She had a roll of never-out parchment and a quill charmed to write down exactly what was happening in the room. It reminded Harry of Rita Skeeter's quill, but unlike hers Hermione's only recorded the facts.

"Joslurhen Lilly Rain Porter." Joslurhen sat emotionless her eyes slightly glazed.

Harry's heart skipped a beat. Joslurhen was named after his mother. She never told him, she always signed Joslurhen R. Porter never L.R., why?

Hermione echoed Harry's thoughts. " Why do you never sign anything with both of your middle initials?"

"I sign with my first and last name. Rain is my mother's maiden name. It was tradition for the daughter to carry on her mother's maiden name in her family." Hermione's quill scratching was all that could be heard.

"Do you love Harry?" Every one looked at Ron. This was a very unexpected question, but a good one. Harry felt slightly guilty for being interested in what she had to say.

"Yes."

"Why?" This time it was Ginny that shocked Harry. What did it matter why she loved him? Harry was feeling a warm fuzzy feeling at knowing that Joslurhen loved him.

Joslurhen's face scrunched up. Harry had never seen anyone have to think about a reply while under truth serum.

"He is the blood of my blood. My destiny is tied in his. He is the tie that binds me. But I love him for him. He is kind and gentle, strong and brave. He loves fiercely and for apparently no reason at all. He takes to heart everything that happens around him, even when it is not his fault. He is the reason I love Harry." She nodded her head as if she had just made up her mind on the matter.

Harry had tears forging their way down his face. He had never cried so openly.

"What do you mean he is the 'tie that binds you'?"

"He is the reason that I was sorted into Slytherin. I was born to aid him. He is the one who this belongs to." Joslurhen slowly pulled out a long chain from under her robes. A large pendant hung on it.

The chain and pendant where made of an odd gold like material. No gold could ever be spun so thin and be so bright. It actually emitted a small amount of light. The pendant was a large red stone. The stone was perfectly smooth.

"What is that?" Ron cut thorough Harry's thoughts.

"This is the Amulet of NaRuin." Everyone except for Harry and Joslurhen gasped.