Premature Exit
Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
A/N: I've just got back from holiday, so I should be able to update frequently again. I hope nobody has lost interest in this fic and deserted me, but I understand. I've never before looked at my story stats and I was very pleasantly surprised and more eager to continue writing. Owls bringing thanks go out to shadow of the black abyss, Lady Arwen of Rivendell, hmm, sami1010220 and deranged black kitten of doom.
"Good day, Harry Potter."
Harry had instantly recognised the figure from the chocolate frog cards that he had collected in his first few years at Hogwarts, but Harry could not remember ever hearing his voice before. The voice was loud and deep and Harry wondered a few seconds where exactly it had come from, Merlin's lips had moved before he said the words. Then, Harry paused, unable to phrase what he needed to say - if Merlin had indeed not reached a decision as to of whether Harry and Sirius were allowed to go he had to find a way to convince him that they had to. He wondered whether Merlin knew of the prophecy and whether he could use it to his advantage, after all, he knew Merlin only cared for the world and would hate to see it crumble under Voldemort's rule of power. But what if Merlin had already chosen for Harry to remain here? He would not be able to stand having to wait for everyone else he knew, and even if he did, he didn't like the thought of anyone he knew well dying when he was unable to do anything. What would happen then? Would he stay in the plane he was in now, forever living in a world of unreal fantasies that never grew old, or would he be made to pass over to the spiritual plane with his parents? Only then would he be properly dead, and that was something Harry could not bring himself to want - only then there would be no hope for him to return. He knew suddenly that he was going to find a way back, with or without help…somehow.
He looked up determinedly to see a bemused looking Merlin smiling at him. Harry tried not to make himself look too hopeful, but something had come alive inside of him and before now he had not really thought of how much he wanted to return to his world, to Hogwarts - maybe even to Privet Drive, just because it was real.
Harry felt Lily gently pat him on the shoulder.
"Er…hi," Harry replied stupidly, feeling that his answer was too late and fearing the worst.
"Lily, James," Merlin said, nodding to each of them in turn, "Sirius."
Sirius did not ask how Merlin knew his name.
"Good day yourself, Merlin," said James with the air of greeting an old friend, "can we get you anything? Lily?"
"If you want to step inside I could make a cup of tea," Lily said, gesturing towards the newly existing home that was behind her. Harry could not help noticing that this house was rather different to the last one, it looked almost like an old manor and Harry expected it to be very spacious. Merlin, however, was hiding a look of confusion none too well.
"Tea?" he asked, there was a note of politeness in his voice, Harry was surprised to see the lined old face of the wizard he'd come to regard as possibly one of the greatest ever have a blank expression.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I always forget - it's that stuff we had last time, remember?" said Lily, smiling slightly. Merlin moved his head to look at Harry, and Harry felt a strange sensation that made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Merlin seemed to realise, because he turned back to Lily and nodded, "yes, yes, I think that would be a great idea."
They walked forwards and Lily opened the door, looking unsure - Harry thought perhaps was arguing with herself over whether or not she should ask Merlin to wipe his feet before coming in. This was perhaps the only thing that she and Aunt Petunia had in common.
Lily pushed the door without another word, and looked delighted when Merlin chose to wipe his feet of his own accord.
"Is this-?" began Sirius, startling Harry, who had been looking around the corridor in great interest. It was furnished in the same way as the other home, but there was something rather grand about everything.
"-Exact replica," James replied, looking fondly around. Sirius was grinning stupidly.
Harry wasn't entirely sure what they were talking about.
"I missed this place," said Sirius, "still got the House Elf?"
"Aye," said James boredly, pointing towards what Harry assumed was the kitchen, "Lily wasn't too pleased to find that she still wanted to serve us after death."
Sirius shook his head and Lily, who then instantly hurried off to make some tea, led them through a door. The room was full of mahogany furniture that looked extremely comfortable. Harry pleasurably sank into a pile of cushions and Merlin did the same beside him.
"Now, Harry," he said, looking at Harry with a razor sharp glare. Harry wasn't sure if he was supposed to reply to this and compromised by keeping his mouth tightly shut and nodding slowly. "I expect you realise how near-impossible your aim is."
Harry nodded.
"Wizards have come through the veil to here many a time before, and I have always denied them to go back, but your situation is a little different. Could you possibly explain to me, as well as you remember, what happened at the department of mysteries to when you arrived here?"
Harry opened his mouth and found he had not, as he thought he might have, lost his voice. He began from the dream he had, Kreacher saying that Sirius had gone (at this point Sirius interjected a rude remark about his House-Elf), and then the journey to the Ministry, followed by the strange department of mysteries, the prophecy hall and the arrival of the Death Eaters. Then Sirius explained how Snape (James scowled at the very word) had notified the Order of what was going on and they had come to rescue Harry and his friends. At one interval Lily had levitated a large china teapot and several cups and saucers in and everybody stopped to pour some tea. It had certainly eased the tension a little bit.
Harry gazed into his cup, his story complete, what was to happen now? He looked determinedly into the remnants of the tealeaves as though willing them to give an answer - but there was nothing noticeable.
"Reading your tea leaves?" Merlin asked, Harry was startled and looked up, "it's a very accurate method of foreseeing the future - once done properly and providing you are in the right state of mind."
Sirius let out a very strange noise. Harry didn't know if he should honestly admit his hatred of divination or just nod along. Maybe agreeing would be better - but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"I see," said Merlin. He looked almost as dotty as Luna Lovegood for a moment and then his eyes snapped back into focus, he pressed his cup to his lips and took a long drink.
Harry wished he would not keep delaying his final statement, he felt extremely worried, although not quite sure why. Then, very suddenly, the old man beside him spoke again, but the sound did not reach Harry's ears until Merlin's mouth had closed firmly.
"I have reached a verdict, but first, I feel I must show you something - something important," he said, Harry nodded. "As you know, I am a seer - I did not ask to be, or particularly want to be, it was one of the many unfortunate abilities I was born with. I can tell what you are thinking, but divination is not how Sybil Trelawney teaches it - or Firenze, even," he added as an afterthought. Was there nothing going on the material plane that this wizard was not fully aware of? "I see the future, I foretold the truth, I, myself, also made prophecies - but I also see what cannot be, I see what so many others overlook, the impact of your decisions and what effect they will have."
Harry was reminded forcefully of Professor Dumbledore, telling him that decisions were what defined whom a person really was, not natural ability. Professor Dumbledore was at Hogwarts now; he was one of the few people who knew of the prophecy. Did he realise now that all hope was gone, that the one chosen to destroy the Dark Lord had foolishly fallen through a veil without pausing to wonder what it was and why it was there? Was he at the school, aware that nothing could be done, and soon the wizarding world would be a shambles? He was most definitely one to fight Voldemort despite everything. What had happened to the Order? Had they fell, dispirited by the loss of Sirius and himself? Had they continued on - fighting until the end? Harry realised slowly that he would have been notified had someone he known died, and he felt slightly better.
"What do you want to show me?" Harry asked, he felt more confident now. Merlin had a strangled smile on his face.
"What happened, or will happen - if you were to stay here."
Harry didn't know what to say - the statement was absurd, yet he had been expecting something like this.
"But I don't want to stay here - I will find a way out, regardless of what you show me," Harry said, he could not explain the burst of strength inside him. Maybe he had grown faster over his time in this realm than he ever had in his life - perhaps he simply wasn't keen on the idea that he may be having nightmares about what could have been for the rest of his life. If there even was a life to go back to, Harry corrected himself.
"I know," murmured Merlin, but Harry caught it.
"If you know, why do you insist - hang on, what do you mean 'happened'? Nothing could have happened yet, we'd know, wouldn't we?" he replied, suddenly feeling anxious.
"You misunderstand the plane you are in, Harry James Potter," Merlin said quietly. Harry did not think he liked Merlin very much, he always spoke with a strange expression Harry couldn't place, and he was so far continuously leaving Harry wondering what he was really talking about. Merlin clicked his fingers.
"It has happened," he said quietly. He clicked his fingers again. "It has yet to happen."
"What d'you mean?" said Harry simply. He was fed up of being confused; he was a bit annoyed with this whole conversation.
"You learned about time through your experience with Miss Granger's time turner in your third year at school, did you not?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, then. You realise that the present you know is not neccesarily the present, the past could be the present, the future ahead of you could be the present. This plane is illogical to most, but a handy place for anyone who can understand it - it could be used to contact the living, it could be used to tell the future, because the future may have already happened, are you with me?" said Merlin. Harry wanted very dearly to say no, but had now learned that this would result in everything getting more bewildering than it was already.
"It is not seeing at all," he continued, perhaps mistaking Harry's silence as a sign he understood, "it is just understanding."
Harry looked at his parents and Sirius, his parents seemed to have heard this before, Sirius had an unreadable expression on his face. Did they all understand?
"But the best way to understand is to see, and we will delay no longer."
Harry did not have time to open his mouth. He did not have time to admit he wasn't entirely sure of any of this - or maybe even scream in frustration. The world was not turning black as it had done when he had passed through the veil; everything was blurring out until there was nothing. Harry felt overcome by a strange force, and slowly, Harry realised he was alone.
I'm so glad that I finally got this up. I had an awful day yesterday, had to unpack my things from holiday, skipped lunch because my parents kept nagging me and I didn't want to give them another chance to, my Ipod broke, I tried to fix it for nearly five hours, and also, my favourite character in one of the soaps I watch has died. Not a great day for me, so I'd appreciate it if you left a review.
