Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related plot events and characters are the property of JK Rowling.
Summary: PostHogwarts. Harry must deal with the horrors of war, and in doing so he will embrace his heritage and leave a lasting legacy on the world.
A/N: Ok, I'm going to clear some things up. This is not a 'Super Harry' story. His 'new powers' or 'transformations' – whatever you want to call them – are just an extension and release of his natural magical reserves. In following with that theme, Harry will not be receiving huge amounts of new toys and awesome powers. He will not be an animagus, because I see that particular attribute as irrelevant at this point. Harry is trying to figure himself out, and the story is more about his damaged psyche than his power. With that said, yes, he is powerful, and yes, he can do some amazing things.
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Chapter 11: A Whirlwind of Feeling
"Alright, Miss Potter. Here you are," Ollivander said, handing the wand over to the small girl. She could barely contain herself as she took it and admired it proudly, and looked up to Harry with thankful eyes.
He smiled down at her, thanking Ollivander, and then led her from the shop. As soon as the door closed behind them, he knelt down in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.
"Helen, you know how much of a privilege this is, right?" She nodded. "You can't use the wand outside of Hogwarts, all right? I'm not sure just how many regulations Dumbledore violated when he allowed you to get this, but I'm trusting you to respect that and not abuse it." She nodded again.
Harry smiled. "Now that the 'stern' part is over with, how excited are you?"
Her face lit up. "This is awesome! I can't believe it!" She struggled with her words, because she was just so excited. She was literally bouncing on the balls of her feet, turning the 10-inch holly wand over and over in her hands as she studied it.
Harry laughed and stood, watching her admiring her new tool. It had a dragon heartstring core, and looked impressive because it was so new. Harry kept his wand impeccably clean, but the glossy coat was starting to fade. Helen's wand reflected the light like Harry remembered his did during his first year.
He placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her along. His other hand absentmindedly went into his pocket and fumbled with a small box. The smile slowly faded as the events of the past few days came back to him. His hand tightened around the box, and his face set in a hard line. Ginny had said they would live for the moment, and that was exactly what he planned to do.
Harry and Helen stopped briefly at a few more shops in Diagon Alley and picked up a few odds and ends, and then Harry announced that it was time to head to St. Mungo's. Helen's perpetual smile—because of her wand—faded slightly and her eyes saddened. She didn't stop fumbling with the wood in her hand, though, and Harry was glad that she had something to take her mind off the pain that was undoubtedly there. They walked up the steps to the hospital and entered.
Harry barely had to acknowledge the staff before they allowed him passage through the corridors, and was thankful that his celebrity status was at least good for something. They finally arrived in the outpatient area, and Harry was directed to a room down the hall. Taking a deep breath, he strode toward the door with Helen trailing behind.
He stood at the threshold for a moment, staring at the wall of wood, before raising his hand to knock on the cold, impersonal surface.
"Who is it?" came the voice of Ginny.
"Harry," he said, quietly.
"Well, don't just stand there, come in," came the amused reply. Harry couldn't help but smile, and also marvel that Ginny could still be sarcastic.
Harry pushed open the door and saw that Ginny was ready to go. She was dressed in her own clothes and was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring idly at nothing particular. She turned her gaze to meet his, and smiled warmly in greeting. He smiled back and crossed the room quickly, enveloping her in a tight embrace.
They stood like that for a moment, before Harry stepped back, and motioned Helen over. She still had her wand in her hand, which Ginny looked at curiously as she came to them.
"What's that?" she asked.
Harry smiled. "Apparently Albus thought it would be prudent for Helen to join the ranks of the magical." At Ginny's confused look, he added, "That's her wand. We just picked it up."
A look of comprehension came over Ginny, and she exclaimed, "Oh! That's wonderful Helen!"
The little girl's excitement came back full force, and she squealed, "I know! I get to practice magic with you and Harry over the summer!"
Ginny gave Harry a look. "Over the summer? Does that mean…" she trailed off as Harry nodded.
"Yep. You can stay at the castle with me this summer. Albus doesn't have a problem with it, and he said that besides himself and the house-elves, we'll be the only ones there."
Ginny laughed. "So we have the whole castle to ourselves for a few months. That's great." The three of them lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment. Helen was inspecting her wand with a renewed vigor, Ginny was looking contemplatively at nothing in particular, and Harry was looking back and forth between the two girls.
Finally, he spoke. "Alright, well I think we should be getting along. Did you need anything from the Burrow, Ginny?"
She shook her head. "Nah. I bring most of what I have to Hogwarts with me, and I'd rather not have to set foot there again…"
Harry nodded in understanding, realizing that returning to the place her parents were killed would be hard, especially with the news they all had just received.
"What about the potions?" Harry asked, quietly.
She gave him an unreadable look for a moment, and then said, "They shrunk the supply and I have it in my pocket."
Harry inclined his head. "Ok then, I'll just Apparate all of us to Hogsmeade." The three of them started to move toward the door and the Apparition point beyond.
"You can do that?" Ginny asked. She knew he had Apparated with one other before, but didn't know that he could bring two others with him.
Harry smiled a little mischievously. "Do you trust me?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "You know you're not supposed to answer a question with a question, right?"
Harry laughed outright at that as they continued down the hall. "I think that's what you just did, Ginny."
Ginny looked stricken for a moment, and slapped her forehead. "Damn it…" All three of them had smiles on their faces, and they soon arrived at the exit point.
"Grab my arms—hold tight—and we can get out of here." Ginny latched onto Harry's left arm and Helen likewise did the opposite, and with a brief moment of concentration from Harry, all three were whisked away.
For a brief moment, Harry felt like he was being torn in two different directions and thought he had somehow splinched himself, but then realized it was because Ginny and Helen had falling away from him while still holding onto his arms. He tensed his muscles and stopped their fall, balancing their counterweights. They both gave him a look of gratitude as they straightened up, and the three of them made their way toward the castle.
Smalltalk was passed between them during the short trip, and Harry couldn't help but think that the real topic of conversation was hanging over them like a stagnant bog. He would have to talk to Ginny later, because if they really were going to get through this, and make the most of it, then denial wasn't something they could afford.
The doors opened as they approached, and they could see that Dumbledore was waiting for them there. He had a bright smile on his face and beckoned them into the castle.
"Welcome for the summer, you three. How did the shopping go, Harry?"
"Holly; 10 inches; dragon heartstring. It was only the fifth wand she tried."
Dumbledore nodded in approval and beamed at the already beaming little girl. "Very good, Helen. Very good, indeed. While you are at Hogwarts, feel free to use the wand, but just remember to be careful."
Her head bobbed up and down and breathlessly she said, "Oh, I will be, Professor Dumbledore! I don't really know much, anyways."
"Well, what do you know?" he asked, with a twinkle in his eyes. Her head snapped up and there was fiery glint in her eyes, and she raised her wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" she cried, and was rewarded when the silvery mist came forth and formed the Phoenix. It soared around the entrance hall for a moment, and then came back and settled on the floor between the four of them. Harry was smiling proudly, Dumbledore actually seemed somewhat surprised, and Ginny was staring in wonder. The shape faded.
"Wh-what?" Ginny asked. Somehow she had never really believed the story of the defense class. She had never even created a corporeal Patronus before.
"It is most impressive," Dumbledore said. Helen smiled sheepishly but Harry could tell she was soaking up the praise.
"Yeah…" Ginny said, and suddenly pulled out her own wand. It had been awhile since she'd tried the charm…
"Expecto Patronum!" she yelled. And sure enough, her own silvery mist that quickly formed a shape rewarded her efforts. It blurred for a moment and started to fade, but then strengthened at Ginny's look of determination. Harry tried to see what it was…and laughed when he did. It was a cat!
It stalked around the four of them for a few moments, stopping to peer up at Ginny, and then faded. Ginny had a look of satisfaction on her face.
"Was that the first time you conjured a corporeal Patronus?" Dumbledore asked.
Ginny nodded. "Yes, it was."
"And what, if I may ask, was the memory you chose to back the spell up?" he further inquired of her.
Ginny turned beet red at that question and stuttered over some answer. Dumbledore's twinkle went into overdrive, and he chuckled at her response. There could only be a few memories that would produce that type of response.
With a knowing look at a somewhat confused Harry, he said, "Well, I must be off. Eight o'clock tomorrow morning, Harry?" Harry nodded. "Ginny and Helen are welcome to come as well. Cheers." Dumbledore strode off, still chuckling to himself.
Helen, who was more confused than Harry, asked, "What was that all about, Mum?" The red color had faded, but it returned again.
Ginny laughed nervously. "Nothing, Helen. Don't worry about it. Albus was just teasing us."
Harry finally understood what had just happened, and unexpectedly burst out laughing. Helen looked at him like he was crazy and Ginny glared at him.
Through his mirth, he asked, "Do I even have to ask what the memory was of?" Ginny playfully hit him on the arm and smirked at him. Helen still had no idea what was going on, and was getting huffy.
"Do you want to find out later?" Ginny asked Harry. He stopped laughing immediately and peered at her. It was Ginny's turned to laugh, and Helen spoke up.
"What is going on?" she asked in annoyance. Her wand was still in her hand, and it emitted blue and bronze sparks as she yelled the question. She was shocked and dropped the wand in fright, and looked to Harry with slightly fearful eyes.
"Umm…I didn't mean to…that wasn't what I was…" but she stopped when Harry knelt and picked up her wand. He placed it in her hand and looked in her apprehensive eyes with his reassuring ones.
"It's alright, Helen. That's nothing to worry about. Wands tend to do that, especially at first. There's nothing wrong that." He stood and picked her up, trying to comfort her. She nodded at him and let herself relax, glad that she hadn't done anything wrong. Harry thought there was something oddly familiar about the colors that had come from her wand, but couldn't place it. Mentally shrugging, he put an arm around Ginny's waist and the three of them started toward their quarters.
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Closing the door to Helen's room, Harry turned to Ginny. "She's all set for the night. I think she was asleep before I got to the door."
"Well, she had an exciting day. She's a lucky girl to have a wand already."
"Indeed," Harry replied. He settled onto the couch and leaned into Ginny, who curled her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. Harry started to stroke her hair, and they sat in companionable silence for a few moments.
"Ginny…" Harry started. He stopped, though, as he seemed to struggle with what he wanted to say.
She looked up into his face. "Mmm?" It was more a noise than any sort of articulation. She looked like she was about ready to go to bed.
He sighed a deep, almost strangled sound, and ran a hand through his hair. He looked distractedly at nothing in particular for a moment, and then settled his emerald gaze back on Ginny.
"It's just…I can't help but feel like we're avoiding…the issue," he said.
"What issue?" Ginny asked, a little acidly.
Harry grunted in frustration, more at himself and his lack enunciation than her. "That's my point; right there, what you said. You know what issue I'm talking about."
Ginny was silent for a moment, but Harry could tell that she was struggling to keep her Weasley temper in check. Finally, she blew her breath out between her lips and seemed to get control.
"I thought we were going to live and just let it all go?" Her voice was much quieter than he was expecting.
"I know—that's what I want to do. But that doesn't mean we can avoid this altogether Ginny. It just seems…surreal right now, you know?"
She nodded. "I know…I can't believe that, well…I'm going t-to d-die," she choked out. Tears welled up in her eyes and she was almost immediately shuddering into Harry's arms. She had been in denial, and Harry's calling out of it had brought the realization to the front of her mind. Previously, she had distanced herself from it and kept it impersonal, but talking about it so candidly with Harry hit home.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her, and pulled her so she was almost lying on him. He leaned back against the crook of the couch and slowly rocked her a little bit. She quieted down after a little while and wiped her eyes, giving Harry a wan smile.
"I'm sorry—" but a long finger to her lips cut her off. Harry just shook his head gently.
"You have nothing to be sorry for—absolutely nothing. I…I don't pretend to know what you're thinking, faced with this…realization, but believe me when I tell you I have looked Death in the face before.
"It's not pleasant…knowing or believing that your life is going to end, but I took solace in something that Albus once told me. 'Death is but the next great adventure.' He called it an extension of life, and it shouldn't be separated from it. It's hard for me to even talk about this like this, but I think I can because I know that someone or something better than this is waiting for us."
Harry took a deep breath, and looked at Ginny directly in her brown eyes. "Death is always such a taboo, but I think if we're going to make this work the way we both want it to, we can't be afraid to talk about it, or cry about it, or scream about it. The thing we can't do is deny it, because that will only make it harder in the end." Harry was inwardly surprised at his speech, because that came out even better than he had wanted it to. He just hoped that Ginny would or could see what he was trying to say.
She closed her eyes and collected herself, leaning her cheek against her chest. She opened her eyes and focused on the coffee table as she spoke. "I understand the point you're trying to make, Harry, but it's just so easy to slip into denial. You may have faced death many times before, but the certainty of it has never been there.
"We all knew the risks when we went to face Voldemort that day, but it wasn't a definitive chance of the end of our lives. This…this is different…I've been told that my life—which I can't even comprehend; life is just such a huge and aloof term—is going to end. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. With Voldemort…it didn't seem real…there was always the possibility but our mortality was never placed in front of us like this.
"It's taking everything I have to not slip into a huge pit of self-pity and just end it right now. This is hard, and it's only going to get harder and harder as time goes on. Why did they have to tell me? Why? I would have been much better off not knowing." She was about ready to cry again.
Harry gently took her face in his hands, cheeks in palms, and turned her head so she was looking at him once again. He spoke softly: "No, it wouldn't have been, Ginny. Believe me, I was so angry at everything when I knew the Prophecy predicting my death or Voldemort's had been kept from me for years. If you had found out a different way…well, there's no coming out of that.
"And, I'll be here for you, always. No matter what, I want you to know that you should never hesitate to talk to me about anything. Just like we're doing right now—we're talking things through and hopefully making it just a little bit easier. And know that I'll always love you." He leaned down and captured her pouting lips in gentle and lingering kiss. It wasn't about passion; rather, it was about him imparting his love for her.
Harry leaned back and stared into her eyes again for a moment. Finally he spoke up. "There's something that I've been thinking about telling you…that I've never told anyone before…" Ginny gave him an inquisitive look.
Harry took a deep breath. "At the end of my fourth year, when I was portkeyed away to that graveyard, there were a few moments that I've never told anyone about. It was just too…profound, I guess, to try and make people understand what I felt. But, I think you will be able to."
He paused, took another deep breath, and forged on. "After Voldemort told me to pick up my wand, I was scared absolutely out of my mind. I couldn't believe that the legend of the wizarding world was really standing in front of me, and that he was going to kill me.
"I did the only thing that my panicked brain could think of: I dove out of sight behind a large gravestone. Green lights kept flying over my head, and Voldemort was taunting me, but I couldn't bring myself out to face him. Finally, he said, 'Come on, Potter—The Boy Who Lived. Come out and let me prove once and for all how lies have fed your legend. Come out and face me as I kill you.'
"I couldn't explain it then, but something—some feeling—came over me and the fear just melted away. If that was how I was going to die, then I couldn't let it be hiding behind a rock. I knew that if that point in time was the end, I had to stare it in the face. Maybe it was the Gryffindor in me coming out, but something possessed me to roll out from behind the tomb and cast the disarming spell.
"Even with the Priori Incantantem effect going on, I couldn't really take my mind off that feeling. It was like, even though I knew what was probably going to happen, I was almost wrong to deny it and hide like a coward. They say your life flashes before your eyes, and it is true. I couldn't let all those people down…"
He then leaned forward and whispered something to her that hit her to the core. "Ginny, you have to either get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."
When he pulled back, she bit her lip and looked into his eyes once again. She had a pensive look, and it was an endearing image. "Why are you so good to me?"
Harry smiled softly. "You asked me that on Friday. The answer isn't any different this time. I love you."
Ginny's response was to wriggle around for a moment to get more comfortable, wrap her arms under Harry, and press her cheek against his chest again. She took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled through her nose.
"Alright…starting tomorrow…we do it."
Harry whipped his head from the drooping state it had suddenly acquired. Had he heard correctly? "Come again?"
She chuckled, realizing what she'd said. It was a genuine laugh, deep and breathy, and Harry was glad to hear it. "Oh…oops…I meant that we do what we said. We live for the moment. We take advantage of the time we have left—we get busy livin'."
Well, no time like the present, Harry thought. Considering he'd already done it once, albeit informally, he shouldn't be this nervous. But for some reason, he was. He gently disentangled himself and sat Ginny up. She gave him a questioning look, but he ignored it as he got into a kneeling position in front of her on the floor. He took a small box out of his pocket, looked at it for a moment, and took a deep breath. He opened it and extracted the small golden loop, and then looked up into Ginny's eyes.
"I know I've asked this before, but I thought it should be proper. Ginevra Molly Weasley, will you marry me?"
She bit her lip again to keep it from trembling and just nodded. He took her slim ring finger in his hand and gently slid the band onto it. It was a perfect fit. She made a small noise of satisfaction and pulled them both into a standing position, wrapping her arms around him. They gently rocked in each other's arms for a few minutes, oblivious to everything but their partner.
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When Ginny, Harry, and Helen entered the Great Hall the next morning, Dumbledore was the only person present. He was sitting at a much smaller staff table and, otherwise, the hall was empty. It seemed much larger than normal, but that was simply because all of the house tables had been removed, leaving only open space. Their footfalls echoed around the room as they approached the Head Table.
Dumbledore watched them approach with a smile. "How are you three this morning?"
As they took their seats and started helping themselves to the wonderful breakfast before them, Harry said, "We're doing good; the castle is so empty and quiet—it's kind of unsettling."
"Yes, yes it is. I've found that the summer is the best time explore the secrets Hogwarts has to offer, though."
"Secrets?" Helen asked. She looked up from her waffles with interest.
"Well, my dear, there is just so much to this castle, and it always seems like something has changed when you least expect it."
She nodded slowly, taking in what the wise Headmaster was telling her. The four of them ate in amicable silence for a few minutes, but finally Ginny spoke up with a question that she had been meaning to ask.
"Um…I was wondering if I could join in the training?" Two heads—Dumbledore's and Harry's—turned toward her sharply and Helen was simply giving her an appraising look. The scrutiny from the three of them was quite unsettling.
"Ginny…" Harry started, but stopped when he saw a fierce determination in her gaze. She wouldn't be swayed, regardless of concerns for her health. And, if the night before was any indication, then he shouldn't try to stop her. If she wanted to live to the fullest, then this would be one of the ways in which she could.
Harry looked at Dumbledore, trying to tell him that with his eyes. Dumbledore gave him a hard look for a moment, and then looked at Ginny once again. His features softened. "If that is what you want, Ginny, then I see no reason to stop you." She smiled.
"Keep in mind, though, that some of the things that Harry and I will be doing are beyond your reach." She nodded but her smile didn't dim.
"Oh, I never had a doubt about that—I just…want to let loose a little with my magic…you know, see what I can do."
Harry smirked at her. "You know you're very powerful, Ginny."
"Yeah, I know, I just want to have a bit of fun."
"And you shall. But remember, Harry needs to take this seriously," intoned Dumbledore. Ginny nodded in acceptance, a small smile still playing on her face.
"Of course, Albus. I want to see what Harry's capable of, too," she said.
"Me too!" added Helen.
Harry blushed a tiny bit, and then smiled cheekily at the two of them. "What is this? My fan club?"
Dumbledore chuckled and almost choked on some sausage, and Ginny and Helen just glared at him. Helen promptly stuck out her tongue out Harry, and Ginny smirked and did the same. Harry just put his face in his palm for a second and then turned to Dumbledore.
"So, what are we going to be starting with today?" he asked the old man.
Instead of answering him directly, though, he turned to all of them. "Are we all satisfied?" They nodded, and the food disappeared. "Alright then, why don't we get more comfortable?" Dumbledore stood, and the other three mirrored his motion.
He produced his wand from the folds of robe and waved it in the direction of the middle of the Hall. Two comfortable looking couches and coffee table appeared there, and Dumbledore looked satisfied.
"Shall we?" he asked, motioning toward the furniture.
The four walked to the couches; Ginny, Helen, and Harry sat on one of them and Dumbledore sat across from them. Dumbledore gave them an appraising look.
"Today I thought it would be most appropriate to just talk about a few things and let them sink in. Tomorrow we can start with the real training."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Talk about what?"
"There are a few…important points that have only recently come to my attention," Dumbledore started. As he talked, he slowly settled into the couch, clearly ready for a long discussion.
"Firstly, I was wondering what you know about the founding of Hogwarts?"
Harry thought for a moment before replying. "I've never actually read Hogwarts, A History, but I think I've had most of it recited to me," he said, as a brief pained look came across his face as he thought about the state of his relationship with Ron and Hermione. "I believe that it was started nearly a millennia ago, and the four Founders—Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin—were the most powerful wizards of the age." Ginny and Helen were silent, because they were both curious to see where this conversation was headed.
"While that is correct, it is only partially so," Dumbledore said. He didn't say anything further, and appeared to be lost in his own thoughts.
Harry prompted him. "Oh?"
Dumbledore's gaze refocused, and he smiled apologetically. "Oh, sorry. Anyways, Hogwarts was indeed founded almost a millennia ago; in fact, it was actually1300 years ago from the year 2000."
Ginny spoke up. "But I thought it was founded in 1015—at least that's what Hogwarts, A History says."
"Well, that is something, isn't it?" There was a weird, knowing smile on the Headmaster's face. "As for the other matter, of the four Founders, it is true that they were the most powerful wizards of the time. However, what isn't generally recorded in the history books is that there were two other wizards that belonged to that group."
Harry quickly made a connection in his head. "Well…if Hogwarts was truly founded in 700 then…wouldn't that make Merlin one of them as well?"
"Correct, Harry, and I'm glad you are catching on so quickly."
"But who's the sixth?" piped up Helen. Her inquisitive nature got the best of her, and she just had to ask.
"I was wondering when you'd ask a question, Helen," the old man said. He gave her a grandfatherly smile and then said, "The sixth was someone who is believed to be a legend by basically all magical and Muggle people alike. It is only the people who know the true history of the world that know of his real existence."
"But…what could possibly have caused them to…alter history?" Ginny asked.
"I assume you've all heard of Morgan le Fay, or simply Morgana?"
Harry and Helen nodded, but Ginny simply looked confused.
"Who?"
"It is said that she was Merlin's nemesis when he was considered to be the most powerful wizard of the age, much like a Dark Lord would be today. However," he continued, cutting off the question on Ginny's lips, "that is, again, only partially true.
"Morgana did in fact exist, but she wasn't as powerful or as evil as the legends make her out to be. They created that image of her because they don't know of the real reason, because it has been basically erased from history."
Harry was quite confused. Erased from history? What could possibly have happened for something to be erased from history? "What do you mean?" he asked.
"There was originally six Founders of Hogwarts, and in turn, the modern wizarding world, which I know is completely contrary to what you've been told your entire lives, but it's true. There are only a few left who know of the truth, and I believe you have the right to know."
"Ok…" Harry said.
"Anyways," the Headmaster continued, "the six Founders of Hogwarts were Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Merlin, and the sixth. This is where Morgana comes in."
"She was the sixth? But I thought you said 'he'?" Helen asked. Again, her curiosity got the best of her.
Dumbledore shook his head, though. "No, my dear, she was not, but she was related to the sixth. I have a question to ask of you three: what does the name 'Lucifer' mean to you?"
Ginny and Helen both had blank looks, but Harry had a small amount of recognition on his face. "Hmmm…" he mused, "I know I've heard that name before." He thought about it some more, before snapping his fingers. "Ah! Now I remember. The Dursley's went to church every weekend, and I remember hearing that name once. If I remember correctly, he was…err, the one who betrayed their god?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Quite the memory you have there, Harry. Lucifer is indeed the traitor archangel in their religion, sentenced for eternity to guard the version of Hell they believe in. He coveted their god's things and Heaven itself, so their god thought it would be a suitable punishment to look on the paradise of Heaven for eternity from a burning wasteland."
"Do you believe any of that?" Harry asked. He personally held absolutely no belief in that sort of thing, and he was actually rather surprised that Dumbledore knew so much about it.
"I do not believe either way. It does not concern me, and it is beside the point. The word 'Lucifer' is Latin for Light-Bringer, which as you can see is quite contrary to the religious traditions. Setting aside all religion for a moment, there was in fact a Lucifer here on Earth. He was the—"
"—sixth Founder," Helen finished for him. She was getting excited over all of this new information and couldn't contain herself.
"Helen, don't interrupt him," Harry said. Her face fell and she leaned back pouting.
Dumbledore chuckled, saying, "No, no; it's quite alright, Harry. I'm glad she is so curious. I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Alright," Harry smiled. Helen brightened once again.
"So, yes, he was the mysterious the sixth Founder, and the husband of Morgana."
"What happened, Albus? Why does no one know any of this?"
Dumbledore's face darkened. "Well, now we are getting to the heart of the matter. When Hogwarts was started, in 700 AD, the six Founders were allied in the Light and worked together to bring the wizarding world together. They succeeded for many years and it was probably one of the best times in history, but alas, such times cannot last.
"It is ironic that the name Lucifer means Light-Bringer, and I suppose fitting, because it is he who did the exact opposite. You see; Lucifer was the weakest of the six, with Merlin being the most powerful—followed closely by Godric and Rowena—and was loathed to be in that position. His fault was his greediness, and he felt that he had the right to be most the powerful, simply because of the connotations of his name.
"Over the years following the founding of Hogwarts, he delved into dangerous and deadly magics that hadn't been practiced for hundreds of years. He did this simply for power, because he wanted to be able to prove himself to Merlin that he could hold up in the duel with the powerful man. The magics he studied are commonly referred to as the Dark Arts today.
"In 725—a quarter century after the beginning of Hogwarts—Lucifer decided that he finally had enough knowledge and experience to at least be a challenge to Merlin. Now, Harry, all six of them knew of the powers that we can both use—you know, the auras—but in a silent agreement between the six of them they rarely showed the ability. They felt it was unnecessary and were content to use their 'regular' magic."
Harry nodded, understanding. Dumbledore talked on. "Lucifer approached Merlin and called him out in friendly duel, and in perhaps the greatest mistake of his life, Merlin didn't take it seriously. Behind Lucifer's back, he flaunted to the other four that he would play with Lucifer, to prove that he was the most powerful. If Lucifer's fault was greed, Merlin's was arrogance. He knew he was the most powerful, and liked to remind people of it.
"So, on the prearranged day, Lucifer and Merlin met, and the four others came to watch. The duel was evenly matched for a while, but it was apparent that while Lucifer was unleashing his full power on Merlin, the other wizard was holding back. In truth, Merlin was probably surprised at some of the spells that Lucifer was using, but chose to just stay on the defensive. In his arrogance, though, he taunted Lucifer, probably insulting his power and his lineage.
"That did it: the hate was so powerful in that moment for Lucifer, because of his greed and need to be the best, that he went through the transformation—and came out with an all black aura."
Harry sucked in his breath, and Ginny and Helen looked at him. They didn't know as much as he did about his powers, and were unclear as to why the 'black aura' was such a bad thing. Harry just mouthed 'I'll tell you later' and turned his attention back to Dumbledore.
"I see you have not forgotten what I've told you," he said. "Merlin was so surprised that he was quickly overcome and killed. It happened so fast that even Lucifer did not realize it at first, but he came to realize that he could not hold remorse or guilt for what he'd done. The hate had consumed him, and he was stuck with it for the rest of his life. The four others had watched in complete shock as it had occurred, but then were forced to defend themselves as Lucifer lashed out against them. His hatred, which was fueled by his greed, was overwhelming, and the four of them were losing. Even in their altered states, he was more powerful and unrelenting than they could handle.
"It is then that Godric was taken over by the injustice of it all—their world they had so carefully been building was going to come crashing down; his friends and himself were going to perish by whom they once considered their friend; Merlin, their friend and ultimately who they looked up to had been killed. He was overwhelmed with remorse, pity, and righteous anger. He went through a further transformation and was soon enveloped in a white aura."
"He got the white aura?" Harry asked. He had always somehow expected it to be Merlin who had done it.
"Yes, he did, and he quickly overwhelmed and subdued Lucifer, but unfortunately the rampaging wizard would not relent, so Godric was forced to kill his former friend. He did it only after getting the consent of Rowena, Salazar, and Helga. He never was ok with it, but had to give up the guilt eventually because he knew that nothing else could have been done."
"But why does no one know about all of this?" Ginny asked. Helen nodded because she was wondering the same thing. Nothing she had ever read had even hinted of it.
"The four Founders who were left decided that it would be best if people did not know about it. Not only would they question the intentions of Lucifer with Hogwarts and then ultimately the four of them, but they would also wonder how Lucifer had killed Merlin. Rather than dealing with that, they decided to instigate the largest and most comprehensive cover-up in the history of the world.
"For many years, while still running Hogwarts, their main goal was altering everything to fit their own version of history. This included mass memory charms, planting artifacts, and changing the official records and destroying the others. That is how the legends came to be—memory charms are rarely one hundred percent effective and with so many people with the vague ideas, an oral tradition was born and hence the legends."
"But how do you know of all this, Albus?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Ah, now we are finally getting to the real point of all of this." He smiled.
"Do you know how cryptic you always are?" Harry chided him.
Dumbledore simply laughed. "You can't blame an old man for his ramblings, Harry." After another pause, he said, "But anyways, the reason I know of the real truth is because of provisions the Founders set aside. They all wrote private histories of themselves, their world, and their families, and secured them so that only members of their direct line would be able to read them."
Helen's eyes lit up. "So…that means you're related to one of the Founders!" It was more of a question that a statement.
"It's got to be Godric, then," Harry stated.
Dumbledore merely smiled at them. "Well, Helen is correct, but Harry, you are not."
"Surely not Salazar?" Harry asked.
"No, no, of course not…after all, I'm not a Parseltongue. No…it is actually Merlin that I'm directly related to."
There was a silence for a moment, and then Ginny simply queried, "Really?"
"Yes, really. Tell me, do any of you happen to know Merlin's last name?"
They all shook their heads. They had never heard of Merlin referred to as anything other than just 'Merlin'.
"I thought as much. Well, I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised now to learn that his full name was Merlin Wulfric Dumbledore—Wulfric is one of my middle names, as well."
"So…what does this mean, exactly?" Harry questioned. He wondered what this was all about.
"Hmm?" was all that Dumbledore replied.
"I meant, why are you telling us this? We aren't the descendants of any of the Founders, so we shouldn't know, right?"
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled more brightly than ever. "Well, Harry, you are only partially correct. Tell me," he said, barely containing a grin, "what did the Sorting Hat give you in the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Ummm…Godric's sword."
"Yes. The sword of Godric Gryffindor, which he charmed to be able to be held only by a direct descendant."
Comprehension and shock played across his face. "But…that's impossible! I'm a Potter, and I know that I come from a long line of Potter's."
"Yes, I know, but what you don't know is that Godric only had one child, and that child was a girl. She married a man by the name of Brian James Potter, who was a member of a prominent family. The name Gryffindor died off when Godric himself died, but his blood has been carried through the Potter line all this time, and you are his last direct descendant."
Harry was a little overwhelmed at the moment, and he could only think of one thing to ask. "Ok…but why are you telling me this now?"
"Finally, we have come to the point of all of this. Before the unfortunate series of events with Lucifer, the six Founders came together and created a sort of binding spell. It would be broken if one of them ever betrayed the others, which happened of course, but there was one aspect of the spell that could never be broken."
"And what was that?"
Dumbledore broke into a full grin, and brokered his wand from his robes. He held it out before him.
"This, Harry: Increpitas Inflecto Forma Veres!" The incantation was unlike anything the three of them had ever heard, but that thought was soon forgotten when they looked in utter shock at what the spell had done.
Dumbledore's wand had changed—for lack of a better word—and the thing was incredible. It had changed into a long, beautiful broadsword. The handle was intricately carved in silver and had some strange runic markings, and the blade was a shiny chrome or platinum color. It looked razor sharp and reflected the light in a dazzling prismatic array of colors, and they could do nothing but stare at the weapon. It was beautiful, but it also looked deadly. There was also the hint of what appeared to be silver flames licking at the cold metal of the blade.
"Wha…" Harry managed to breath out.
Dumbledore nodded, fully expecting their shock. 'This is the part of the binding spell that can never be broken. The six of them were tired of wands and thought that something more…intimidating would suit them, and thus permanently transformed their wands into six swords. The swords act as a magical focus, much like wands do.
"They tied each sword to their blood and the magic it carried with it, and through the years the knowledge of this little feature slowly diminished until now, in which I'm probably the last to know about it. Not anymore, though," he said, smiling cheekily at Harry.
"How long have you known about all of this?" Harry asked after another moment of silence. Ginny and Helen were still admiring the sword.
"For many years now…since before Tom Riddle first came to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said carefully.
Harry's anger flared up briefly because that was just more power that Dumbledore had not used against Voldemort, but he quickly pushed it away. He didn't want to get angry right now, and he was trying to put it behind him. The past is the past, he told himself, and I'll just have to accept these decisions of his…
"I see…" was all Harry finally said. A question came to him suddenly. "How has it been hidden for so long?"
"That, Harry, is the product of a rather ingenious feature of their charm. They recognized that it might be prudent to hide their swords from certain people, and devised a failsafe mechanism in the charm that would allow the sword to revert back to the wand form if they ever desired or it if was ever taken out of their hands. So, all of these years, I've simply had it in the form of my wand when in the presence of prying eyes."
"How many others know about this?" Ginny asked.
"Besides you three? No one."
"Why are telling you us this, Professor Dumbledore?" Helen asked. She was confused, and she didn't like to be that way.
In answer to her question, he looked pointedly at Harry. "Harry…surely you have figured it out? Hold out your wand—point it away from everyone—and repeat the incantation I just said."
Harry looked at him skeptically for a moment, and then complied. It couldn't hurt, and he supposed that if all of what Dumbledore said was true, this was the way to prove if he really was of Godric's bloodline. He raised his wand and pointed it up into the air.
"Increpitas Inflecto Forma Veres!" he said. And sure enough, to his amazement, he felt his wand grow heavier and watched as it transformed into something familiar. Ginny gasped and Helen squealed in excitement.
"Just as I thought, Harry. So do you recognize that?" Dumbledore asked.
"Well…yes, but it's a little different," he said as he looked over the sword that was now in his hands. The handle was made of a crimson colored metal that Harry did not recognize as well as what appeared to be pure gold. It had similar markings to the sword that Dumbledore had laid across his lap, and as his eyes traveled up the sword, he took in the biggest difference.
The metal was no longer gray like it had been in the Chamber of Secrets; the blade, which was long, sharp and slightly curved, was an amalgam of the crimson metal and gold. Harry knew that gold was a very soft metal, so he assumed that the crimson metal tempered that trait. There was also the faintest hint of flames of the two colors lightly running over the shiny surface of the cutting edge.
"Yes, it is. I assume that the Sorting Hat produced an echo of it, since it is imbued with some of the powers of the Founders, after all."
Harry looked at Dumbledore. "So silver was Merlin's color, Albus?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Correct. I believe that is what is known as Crusader sword, which is similar to a long sword."
"What's yours called?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore grinned again. "The type of sword, or the name?"
Harry blinked. "Huh?"
"Well, the type of sword this is would be a broadsword. The name, on the other hand, refers to the actual name of the sword. Each of the six gave their blades names, which is tied to their true power. All you have to do is say the name, and you awaken the power in the blade—say it again, and the sword comes back to its more dormant state."
"Oh." Harry's head was swimming with the new information.
"Omnipotens!" Dumbledore suddenly cried. The sword, which he raised again, flashed a brilliant silver color. When the spots in their eyes had faded, they could see that the previously faint silver flames had exploded and now engulfed the blade of the sword completely. It was quite the sight.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Omnipotent?"
"I did say that Merlin was arrogant, didn't I?"
Harry grinned. "Yeah, I suppose you did."
"That's so cool…" Helen breathed. The platinum flames that were dancing over the sword mesmerized her.
"I'll say," Ginny agreed. She then looked expectantly at Harry and raised her own eyebrow.
"What?" he asked.
"Well, what's the name of your sword?"
Harry looked to Dumbledore. "Do you know it?"
Dumbledore inclined his head, and muttered the name of his sword again. The flames died off and were as before, which was barely noticeable. "The name of your sword is Animus."
Harry laughed lightly. "I suppose that's applicable, being Godric's sword and all."
"What does that mean?" Helen asked.
"It's Latin for 'strength of mind and soul'."
"Oh," she said, understanding.
"Alright; here goes." He held the sword away from himself and the others again. "Animus!" There was a crimson and gold flash, and the flames had increased into the same consuming fire that had had happened with Dumbledore's blade. It was actually a rather remarkable sight—beautiful but deadly. The four of them admired it for a few moments, and then Harry said the name again. The flames returned to their former state.
"It didn't feel any different," Harry said.
"Well, of course not. You didn't cast any spells. You'd have to do so before and after you said the name to really get a feel for how different it is."
"Daddy?" Helen asked.
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Does that mean you can use it when you transform?" Helen had learned of Harry's talents at the beginning of May, and he had done his best to explain it all to her. She understood most of it, and he was glad. Of course, though, it would be her to ask the most relevant questions pertaining to this new twist. Harry looked to Dumbledore for the answer to the question.
"How astute of you, Helen. I was just getting there, in fact. The answer to your question is yes, he can and should use it when he transforms. The six of them built their increased powers into the charm and made the swords to focus them better. It's better than using his wand, and certainly better than the wandless magic he performed during our duel."
"How do I change it back to my wand? I don't really want to carry around a sword all the time."
"Simply say Reverto." As Dumbledore said it, the sword shrank and transfigured itself back into his wand.
Harry followed suit, and watched as his sword also reverted back into the familiar shape of his wand. Harry looked at it pensively for a moment, before Dumbledore broke his train of thoughts.
"I know this is a lot to take in, so that is why I think that we're done for the day. The real training will start tomorrow, so take the rest of the day to absorb and think all that's been said here."
Harry had another question, though. "Do you have any of Godric's things that I could look through?"
"Yes, I do as a matter of fact, but we shall save that for another day, as well." Harry nodded and looked over at Ginny and Helen. Ginny looked like she was trying to internalize all of the new info, and Helen just had silly grin on her face.
"What are you so happy about, Helen?" Harry asked, smiling himself.
She bounced and did a little jig in her seat, saying, "This is all so cool! You're so powerful, Daddy!" She leaned in and wrapped herself around one of his arms, and beamed up him. He laughed—it was a warm, genuine sound—and smiled back at her.
"Don't forget about yourself, young lady! You're six and you have a corporeal Patronus. I think you could give me a run for my money."
She playfully hit his arm. "Uh uh!" And then she suddenly acquired a new look in her eyes. It seemed to be a look of longing. She jumped from the couch and almost landed on the coffee table, but managed to stand upright.
"Can I try that spell? That would be so awesome!" she yelled to anyone who would listen. Harry, Dumbledore, and Ginny immediately shared a look.
"I'm sorry Helen, but I don't think it will do anything…" Harry said. He watched as her face crumbled from the joy she had been feeling. He hated seeing that.
Ginny leaned over to Harry. "I think she just wants to say the incantation," she whispered to him. Harry nodded and turned back to Helen.
"Actually, Helen," he started, watching her turn hopeful eyes to him, "I don't think it can hurt anything. Go for it!"
She grinned again. "Ok!" She set herself in an almost comical posture and held her new wand out before her. She stood stock still for a moment, and then opened her mouth.
"Increpitas Inflecto Forma Veres!" Harry, Ginny, and, to a lesser extent, Dumbledore stared in shock at what they saw. Helen squeaked in alarm as she felt her wand grow heavier and almost dropped it as she watched it change with completely bewildered eyes. She had just wanted to hear the Latin phrase come from her own lips, and wasn't ready for what she was seeing.
Her wand had become a modestly sized scimitar. The handle was blue and bronze, with more of the runic markings, and the blade was tantalizing mixture of some blue metal and pure bronze. Blue and bronze flames were dimly moving over the metal. She looked to Harry wide eyes, and then Dumbledore, and finally back to Harry.
Suddenly, Dumbledore started laughing. Harry had never heard him laugh like that. It was a deep, rumbling sound, and it could only be taken as honest and uncontrollable mirth. He laughed so hard and so long that tears were soon running down his cheeks, and when he finally stopped, he noticed that the three others were looking at him like he had finally lost his remaining marbles.
"Oh…oh…I'm sorry…it's just…it seems that Helen continues to surprise us."
"But…but…what does this mean?" spluttered Harry.
Dumbledore gave him an odd look. "I should think that would be obvious, Harry. It appears that Helen is a direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw." The scimitar clattered to the floor, reverting back to the form of her wand, followed closely by Helen. She had fainted.
----------
"…would explain her corporeal Patronus," someone sounding like Harry said. Helen was still groggy and a bit lightheaded, so she didn't sit up. Instead, she remained where she was, which felt like lying on the couch, and just listened with her eyes closed.
A voice that was further away responded. It sounded like Dumbledore. "Yes it would. I'm very curious as to what else she can accomplish at her young age."
They were talking about her, and they thought she was still asleep. She knew that she should probably make them aware that she had woken up, but her curiosity was piqued and she wanted to listen to what they had to say.
"Did you have any idea that she was of Rowena's bloodline?" That was Harry again.
"No, Harry, I did not. I should have realized it though, because of what the castle told me when she first arrived."
"Ah, so we're back to this. I wondering when you were going to reveal that."
"Honestly, there's not much to reveal. It's just how it was said. When you arrived for your first year, the castle told me that a huge magical presence had arrived. Over the years, I took that to mean that it was talking about you, because you obviously have the most magical power out of anyone here, and I'm pretty sure it coincided with the exact moment you entered the Great Hall."
"So…it said that again when Helen got here?" Dumbledore must have nodded, because Harry continued on. "It said she was a huge magical presence?"
"Yes. And I'm inclined to believe it," the Headmaster said with what sounded like a small smile. The inflection in his voice was light.
"Well, there's no reason not to, after that little display. Ginny just thought she wanted to say the incantation. Do you think she had any idea that would happen?"
"I doubt it, Harry. Look at the way she reacted. I think it was just as much of a surprise to her as it was to us. The choice of sword is interesting, though. I never would have assumed Rowena would use a scimitar."
"What's the name of her blade?" Harry asked.
"Fervens. It means 'fiery', and I assume it's referring to her personality."
Harry chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea. She's a little ball of energy." Helen had to suppress a smile to keep up the illusion of sleep.
"You've really grown to care for her, haven't you?"
"I have. I really have. I love her like I would a daughter."
"I know; I can see it every day. You do wonders for each other."
"Indeed we do, Albus, indeed we do."
There was a long pause following that, and all that Helen could hear was the breathing of the two men. Where was Ginny? She was about to open her eyes to signify her awakened state, but stopped when Dumbledore spoke up.
"How is Ginny holding up, Harry?"
Harry let out a long sigh. "Well…it's been rough on her, understandably. We're trying to just let loose and live, but it's hard. We'll manage, though. She's a strong woman. She's faced death before, and I have no doubt she will again with her head held high."
Another silence. Then Dumbledore spoke again. "What about you? How are you holding up?"
"I'm ok. I don't think it's hit me yet. And I don't know if I ever want it to. I mean, I know what this means, but knowing and accepting are two very different things."
"I'm sorry, Harry…"
"For what, Albus? None of this is your fault—it's no one's fault. It's just…unfair. Completely unfair. To Ginny, to me, and to Helen. Not to mention her brothers, who have already lost their parents…"
Dumbledore sighed this time. "The Weasley's didn't deserve any of this. They supported you and I from the start, regardless of our differences with each other and them. Their family has been through quite a bit."
There was a movement of the cushions, and Helen assumed that Harry has stood up by the sound of it.
"Well, it's getting late. I think I'll put Helen to bed for the night. She should be lucid in the morning. Ginny will be wondering where I am, so I better go."
"Alright Harry. I know this is a lot of new information for one day, but I think as the summer goes on it will get better. Eight o'clock tomorrow?"
"Sounds good, and I'm sure it will. Goodnight, Albus."
"Night, Harry." Helen felt Harry gently pick her and cradle her in his arms, and a small sigh of contentment escaped her lips. She pretended to snuggle into him in her sleep, and let her mind drift. She would assimilate all of the new information the next day; for now, her brain was just too foggy. As she felt the warm blankets of her bed envelop her and the cool moisture of Harry's kiss on her forehead, her lips twitched into a smile and she drifted off to sleep.
