Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Unusual Lessons
Harry couldn't remember the Burrow ever being as quiet as it was the week after Dumbledore had arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hardly spoke to Harry or Hermione, and didn't even seem to notice Ron or Ginny. He knew that they were more shocked than mad, and he really couldn't blame them. They were feeling the same worry and fear that he felt when Ron and Hermione had told him that they were coming. They weren't being ridiculous, they were being parents. Harry felt guilty for putting this worry on their shoulders, but Ginny kept assuring him that they would accept it eventually. Ron agreed and said that the best idea was to wait for them to bring it up again. Harry and Hermione agreed, trusting Ron's experience. The days crept by slowly and were very uneventful. Bill and Fleur popped in and out, preparing for the wedding, and Ron and Harry passed their apparition tests. Harry often felt the urge to talk with Mrs. Weasley, but then he would remember Ron's advice and wait for her to be ready. Sure enough, after one week, Mrs. Weasley readdressed the issue while everyone was having a quiet dinner.
"Your father and I have been talking about your… quest, for lack of a better word, and we have decided that we will trust your decisions. You all are adults, whether we like it or not," this caused Ginny to look up, at which Mrs. Weasley responded, "Yes, even you Ginny. You may be my baby girl, but you have gone through more than most witches your age, as have you Ron. You all have grown up so fast, and we couldn't be prouder. Now you just have to teach Fred and George."
At this, the whole table erupted in laughter, even Fred and George. Harry gave Mrs. Weasley an appreciative nod which she returned. He was glad that Mrs. Weasley still had a sense of humor in these dangerous times. As he looked around at the smiling faces around the table, he knew that times like these would be far and few in the coming months. For now though, Harry sat back and enjoyed the jokes, conversations, and debates going on around the table. His thoughts were disrupted when Ginny nudged him back to reality; apparently Mr. Weasley had been asking him a question.
"Thank you Ginny," he said, chuckling softly, "Now, Harry, do you mind if I ask exactly what your plans are for this mission?"
"Actually Mr. Weasley, I do mind," responded Harry, causing several mouths to drop, "It's not that I don't want you to know, it's just that it is safer for you not to know. You all are already in more danger than you deserve, mostly because of your involvement in the Order, but also because of me. I know that you all don't agree, but I know that your involvement with me puts you in the middle of this war. For that I'm sorry, but I know that you wouldn't have it any other way. With that in mind, we, meaning the four of us, have decided to tell you only what you need to know."
"Harry, you don't have to worry about us," said Mrs. Weasley, "We are here to help you."
"I know that, and that is another reason why I can't tell you anything else. If this isn't enough for you, just know that it was Dumbledore's idea to keep this as secret as possible," replied a very somber Harry.
"I expected as much Harry," said Mr. Weasley, "You have always been one to keep your burdens hidden, and that has always worried me. However, I trust in your decisions and I know that you have these three to remove some of that weight. I would like to help you prepare though, if I could."
"That would be great Mr. Weasley, I'm sure we could use all the help we can get. I've been talking to Dumbledore lately and looking through the things he gave me. Apparently, the memories that he gave me are what he calls "training sessions." I have an idea he meant, but we'll find out for sure tomorrow. We have two weeks before the wedding, and I figured that starting tomorrow would give us enough time."
"Well, in that case, we should all get to bed," said Mrs. Weasley, standing up to begin cleaning, "Any kind of training that involves Dumbledore will be no small ordeal, and your father and I have plenty to teach you. The next two weeks are going to be a lot of work, and I just hope you're all ready."
"Don't worry mum, we've been through enough to be ready for anything," responded Ginny with a smile.
With that, everyone began to slowly climb up the stairs to their respective rooms. Harry stopped at Ginny's room to give her a quick kiss good night and then continued up to Ron's room. The two teenagers changed and crawled into their beds in silence, falling asleep before their heads had hit the pillow.
Harry woke with a start to a dark and silent house. He had been having a dream about the night that Dumbledore had died, a dream that had caused him many sleepless nights that summer. He always felt a pang of guilt when he awoke from this dream. He guessed it was because he still felt guilty for Dumbledore's untimely death, but his guilt was slowly disappearing now that Dumbledore was with him. Remembering Dumbledore, Harry got up and decided to get an early start on his training. He stood up slowly and carefully began to pull some clothes from his trunk.
After dressing and collecting the pensieve and vials, Harry paused and turned to look at Ron. He had a brief urge to wake up his best friend, but decided against it. The coming weeks would be difficult, and Ron would need his sleep. Although this training would help his power grow, it would be nothing compared to how much he would grow. Harry worried for a moment about whether or not his best friend would lose the innocence that made him Ron. He shook his head and silently laughed at his own foolishness. Harry knew Ron would never grow up, not really. He sighed and crept out the door, silently shutting it behind him.
Harry quickly and carefully made his way down the stairs, being extra careful outside of Ginny's room. As he walked by her door, his heart skipped a beat when he heard her quietly call his name. He stood, frozen in place, waiting for a sound of movement. He couldn't help but smile when he realized that she must have been dreaming about him and talking in her sleep. As he continued his trek down the stairs, he prayed that she would never have to experience his dreams.
Once he reached the kitchen, he quickly wrote a note and left it on the table so that no one would worry. Then, he quickly walked out the door and towards the hidden fields behind the burrow where he had often played quidditch, away from muggle eyes. When he got there, he set the pensieve on an old stump and began to look at the vials. He now realized that the vials were numbered one through twenty eight. He assumed that this was the order that he was supposed to watch the "training sessions," but he was shocked that Dumbledore had taken the time to order them. Harry was constantly surprised at how prepared Dumbledore had been before he had died, but then again, it was Dumbledore.
Pushing these thoughts aside, Harry uncorked the first vial and poured the swirling contents into the pensieve. Slowly, the familiar figure of Albus Dumbledore.
"Hello Harry," began one of the greatest wizards of modern times, "I hope I find you in good health and good spirits. Before we begin, I need to tell you that this memory is not a training session. I made this memory to explain how this training will work. This will be a very different experience for you and may take some adjustment, but I am confident that you will be able to handle it. I know that you are used to viewing memories using the pensieve, but you will not be viewing these memories. Instead, you will be adding them to your own. I believe that this is the only way for you to learn the skills and spells that I need to teach you in the limited time that you have."
Harry sat open-mouthed and confused as he listened to Dumbledore's words. He quickly recovered his concentration and listened intently the tall, thin image before him.
"I don't know of anyone who has ever tried this before, so I think it is safe to say that no one has," said Dumbledore with a smile on his face, "It is easy to return your own memories to your head, but someone else's memories are an entirely different matter. You will want to reject these memories, because they did not come from your head. It will be difficult and maybe even…painful. I can't say for sure though. What I can say though is that I believe that you can do this. Of all the great wizards I have met, and I have met many, I have never met anyone who has displayed the will power, determination, and strength of character that you have in your short life. You are too humble to admit it to yourself, so that is why I am telling you.
"With that said, I think that we should begin your training. We will begin by removing and returning your own memories to your head. The spell to remove a memory is easily remembered, as it is Pensivious. This is a wordless spell and requires deep concentration. You begin by concentrating on a single memory. Next, you place your wand to your temple and mentally say the spell. You will start to feel the memory fade, and your natural reaction will be to hold on to it. Just relax and let the memory flow from your head. After you remove the memory, it will stick to your wand until you will it to release.
"Once you have removed the memory, you can put it back by simply putting your wand to your temple and concentrating on pulling the memory back into your head. We should practice this a few times before you try siphoning my memories. Once you think you are ready, begin practicing with the second vial, it contains the memory of a healing spell. I thought it would help you if the process did indeed cause you pain, and maybe in other ways" he finished with a wink.
Harry wanted to give him reassuring words, but then he remembered that it was only a memory. Instead, he concentrated on the clearest memory he could. The memory he chose was of the first time he kissed Ginny. He knew that this would be an easy memory to concentrate on, but it would be one that he would not easily part with. If he could truly do this, this memory would be the test.
Raising his wand to his temple, Harry steadied his breathing and his hand, his mind focused on that beautiful memory. He mentally spoke Pensivious and immediately felt the memory begin to fade. Just as Dumbledore had said, Harry tried to pull it back. Catching himself, he let go and felt the memory slide out of his skull and onto his wand. The feeling sent a shiver down his spine, and he shook his head before looking at the long wisp of a memory hanging from his wand. He couldn't help but smile as he felt a surge of pride. He had done it on his first try. Now he was beginning to believe what everyone had told him. He was a great wizard and he was going to beat Voldemort.
Once again placing his wand to his temple, Harry willed the memory to return with all his being and felt it shoot back into his head with ease. Dumbledore had been right, returning the memory was simple. After several more attempts, Harry had mastered controlling his own memories and was beginning laugh at the nervousness he had been feeling. Realizing his error, he quickly stopped and reminded himself not to get cocky. He was about to attempt something that had never before been done. He needed to be smart and calm, not brash and overconfident. Calling upon the courage that had always served him well, he calmed his nerves with a thought.
He slowly uncorked the second vial and prodded the contents with his wand. As he pulled his wand out, the memory trailed, swaying gently in the morning breeze. Harry took a deep breath before he placed the tip of his wand to his temple. He concentrated as hard as he could, but at first he felt nothing. Slowly, he felt the memory begin to seep into his brain. The memory was swirling in and out of his skull, causing Harry to become dizzy. Remembering Dumbledore's words, Harry directed all of his energy and will power to pull the memory into his head. Suddenly, he felt the memory shoot into his brain, but this memory did not settle in with the rest. Instead, Harry felt as though the memory was ricocheting off the walls of his skull. His head felt like it was on fire, but he fought the pain. Harry was used to pain, whether it be physical, magical, or mental. This pain, however, combined all three. This pain was eerily familiar.
Harry suddenly realized why Dumbledore had been so sure that he could do this. This pain was nothing compared to the pain that he had felt on numerous occasions from his scar. With this realization came another sensation. This one driving away the pain and calming the memory, willing it to become a part of him. All at once, the pain was gone. Harry opened his eyes and felt the world come back into focus. He felt completely fine, but he also felt something new.
He turned his wand towards his face, as if willed to by some unknown force. He silently thought the spell he had just learned, Remiedo Infinito. He felt a powerful surge of magic flow through his arm and was blinded by a brilliant light from his wand. The light enveloped him and caused all of his nerve endings to almost tickle in pleasure. As the light grew in intensity, Harry felt his muscles unknotting, his bones becoming springier and more youthful, and his whole body healing inside and out. Once the light had subsided, he tried to blink his eyes to bring them back into focus. Frustrated, he removed his glasses and began to rub his eyes. He opened them back up and stopped before he could put his glasses back on. His jaw dropped and he looked around in wonder. He looked at the world with his eyes alone and saw everything clearly for the first time since he was an infant.
The spell had not only healed his minor sores, wounds, and blemishes, but it also healed his vision. In fact, the only thing that hadn't been healed was the scar upon his forehead. Harry suddenly realized just how bad of a beating his body had taken over the years. He had broken, bruised, and lost bones. He had experienced concussions and numerous cuts and bruises of varying severity. Now, however, his body was whole, unbuttered, and cleansed. He felt stronger, more agile, and more flexible. This spell would definitely come in handy. He would have to thank Dumbledore once he got back to the Burrow.
Harry suddenly realized that the sun had almost fully risen above the horizon. Knowing Mrs. Weasley, she'd probably be worried sick and pacing around the kitchen already, even with the note he had left. He decided, with much difficulty, that he would wait until after breakfast before trying to siphon any more memories. He quickly gathered his belongings and sprinted towards the Burrow, anxious to tell everyone about his first "training sessions."
Before the house came into view, Harry put his glasses back on so that he could surprise everyone even more. When he finally reached the gate, he was greeted by Ginny, not Mrs. Weasley. Harry couldn't help but laugh at the way Ginny was looking at him. She looked uncannily like her mother. Seeing his smile, Ginny ran and embraced him and gave him a soft kiss.
"Good morning," said Harry, his smile even bigger.
"I was so worried Harry," responded Ginny, who now had a much more serious expression on her face, "Why didn't you wake me up? We could have gone for a walk or started making breakfast or…anything really. Where did you go by the way?"
Harry kissed her again and began to lead her back to the house before responding, "I went to the clearing where we normally play quidditch. I couldn't sleep and decided to look at some of the memories Dumbledore gave me. I figured that I should get started with my training if I was going to do anything, and it was a good thing I did. It was amazing Ginny, but I'll wait until everyone is here before I explain it."
"Now your just teasing Harry," she said with a pout on her face, but she quickly changed it to a smile, "It's ok though, I can wait."
They both walked into the kitchen, hand in hand, and sat down at the table. Mrs. Weasley smiled at the couple before continuing with her cooking. Fred and George barely glanced up before returning to their copy of the Daily Prophet. As Harry continued looked around, he noticed that only Hermione and Ron were missing. Bill and Fleur were still in there pajamas, Charlie was dressed in his dragon-hide cloak, and Mr. Weasley was reading a book entitled How Stuff Works, which had a picture of an airplane on the cover. A few minutes later, as Mrs. Weasley was just finishing the bacon, Hermione came down the stairs, Ron in tow.
"Oh Harry, there you are!" she said, a look of relief etched across her face, "We were so worried."
"Yeah mate, don't go running off like that without waking me up at least," Ron said with an equally happy expression, "Hermione woke me up and told me you were gone. I thought I was being attacked at first and I almost hexed her. Luckily, I was too comfortable to move."
At this, everyone laughed, including Ron. They all sat down as Mrs. Weasley put the steaming hot food on the table. Harry took a deep breath and his nostrils were filled with the smell of eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, gravy, porridge, and fresh pumpkin juice. He greedily helped himself to generous helpings of everything. Once he was done, he cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Ginny looked at him in anticipation, while everyone else looked confused.
"I just wanted to tell you all where I was this morning," he began, causing their bewildered looks to become those of interest, "Well, I got up this morning and decided to look at some of the memories, or "training sessions," that Dumbledore gave me. The first memory I watched explained Dumbledore's plan. As it turns out, the memories are not meant to be watched, they are meant to be absorbed."
Harry paused to let this shocking information sink in before he continued, "This surprised me just as much as you. I had no idea that you could absorb someone else's memories, and Dumbledore told me that it has actually never been done before. He seemed to think that I could do it though, and he was right. This morning, I became the first wizard to siphon another wizard's thoughts. Not only that, but I learned a new spell by absorbing the memory, Remiedo Infinito. This is an extremely powerful and difficult healing spell, and I think it will come in handy in the coming months. Once I had learned it, I tested it on myself, with some interesting results."
With this, Harry removed his glasses and looked around at everyone. They all had stunned looks on their faces and didn't seem to comprehend what he had just told them. To demonstrate, Harry read the small print on the back of Fred and George's paper. Seeing that they still seemed skeptical, Harry pulled out his wand, pointed it at Bill, and silently thought, Remiedo Infinito. Instantly, Bill's scars dramatically faded until they were almost gone. He brought his hands up to his face and felt his smooth skin, at a loss for words. Smiling, he ran over to Harry and hugged him. Harry returned the embrace and looked around at the rest of the Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley had tears in her eyes, and the rest of the Weasleys were all smiling.
"Wicked," said Ron, unable to find another word to describe what he had just seen.
"Thanks," replied a smiling Harry, putting his wand back in his pocket, "I can heal almost any wound, but not any resulting from dark magic. That's why my scar isn't gone and why Bill's scars are not completely gone. Since Bill's blood has been only slightly tainted by the werewolf's curse, I was able to make the scars less noticeable. However, he will always bear them as a mark of the curse."
"I vouldn't have it any uzzer vay. Like I alvays say to Molly, scars are like ze memories; zey're not alvays goot, but ze should never be forgotten," Fleur said, with tears in her eyes, "Besides, I zink ze are sexy."
The room erupted with laughter as Bill smiled and Fleur leaned over to give him a kiss. After the laughter had subsided, everyone returned to their meal and began to discuss the possibilities of Harry's new training. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley guessed that most of the spells would be defensive in nature. The Weasley boys were more hopeful for offensive magic like advanced curses and hexes. Harry and Ginny just listened, holding hands and smiling broadly. Hermione was just excited to learn such advanced magic and asked Harry if he could teach them how to siphon the memories after lunch so that they could begin training.
"Actually, Hermione, you can't learn these spells like I have. We'll still train, and I'll teach you everything I can, but these memories are one of a kind. If I removed them, I wouldn't know any of the spells anymore," Harry paused, seeing the disappointed looks on his friends' faces, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll all be able to pick up on these spells fairly quickly. I mean, you had no problem back in the D.A. and that was in fifth year. You also don't have to try and figure them out from a book."
This seemed to cheer Hermione up slightly, but Harry could tell that she was still disappointed. He couldn't help feeling guilty. Even though he hadn't done anything wrong, he knew why she was upset. She had always worked hard to be at the top of the class, and now Harry would be gaining unimaginable power without breaking a sweat. Although he couldn't blame her, he also knew that she would never really have wanted to be in his shoes.
The only reason that Harry was receiving this special training was that he held the fate of the world on his shoulders. His friends had always accepted this as a fact, but none of them really knew how big of a burden it really was. Harry had often felt alone in the wizarding world, but Ron and Hermione had always been there to prove him wrong. Now, for the first time in six years, Ron and Hermione wouldn't be able to help him. Just as he felt his face begin to fall, Ginny squeezed his hand, reminding him that he would never be alone. Harry looked into her eyes and felt his spirits lift. In those eyes he could see strength, hope, and what he needed most, love.
