Hey everyone,
YES! Kingdom Hearts III is releasing at the start of next year! I am SO HAPPY with that! Sure I would have loved it if it was released earlier - preferably around September, but the fact that we have a release date is SO AWESOME!
Also, I am going to be honest with you lot. Do NOT look up weirdly when January's update comes either before or after the 31st. I just don't think, once I have the game, I will have time to actually do any writing, I will be TOO busy with playing that little gem. So expect it either the weekend of the 26th or the weekend of the 2nd.
Excited, yet,
Venquine1990
PS. I am trying to do less of "I then" and "and then". Let me know how you think I did, will you?
Chapter 41
Train Rides and Memories
3rd of November 1993
Great Hall, Hogwarts
James' POV
"I know it's important, but I think we should leave the conversation between the Grangers and the Ministry for after the upcoming chapter. After all, we reached the chapter where the Gang, Squad and I promised we'd explain why we hate Dudley so much. Also, we decided it would be just the Squad telling the tales.
We felt it'd be better as Dudley really just got worse starting the summer after next. He did enough horrible things – what got Rosaline into our group, just to name an example – but what he did to us all in the summer of 1995; we sometimes compared him to what the younger Death Eaters did to others back in the Seventies war."
This little thing told to us by Jeremy really horrifies me and yet I can definitely see where they are coming from, thanks to having been around Lily and having known her for all these years. And I just know that she and I are thinking the same thing, probably along with many of those around us: "Like father, like son."
Yet at this I turn to my own family and think: "I really want to tuck them in bed in Gryffindor tower, but they will want to be part of the reading as soon as they wake up again. Not to mention, Harry being far away might make things dangerous for him when he wakes, seeing that new ability he recently developed."
At which I sigh and then Jeffrey proves that he really is a little genius as he moves over to the large open section between two tables where my son and his friends had sat back when this whole reading had started, and pulls a large and old tent out of his backpack. "It's a wizarding tent. It should have plenty of space, right?"
My son asks and I smile at him widely before I say: "Yeah. Help me bring your dad in, will you?" And the young man uses his incredible control over the wind to lift up his father's sleeping form and moves it into the tent. I myself make sure that Harry is well and secure in my arms and away from the ground and walk over.
Jeffrey moves Sirius over to the second set of bunkbeds near the door and puts him in the top bed before he says: "If Harry is in the lower one, he'll be closer to open air which will make me know when he wakes. Also, the small space between the top and bottom bed might make dad feel like he's cased or caged in or something."
This almost makes me tear up and I whisper: "I'd hug you if I didn't have my arms full right now." Making the boy give me a smile that is worth more than any number of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts can ever afford. I move over to the bottom bed and then falter, feeling like I should do more than just put my baby to bed.
"I haven't been able to do this since my little one was one year old. I have been dreaming of this for years, even when I realized that he'd have outgrown this. I just – wish he was awake, so we could both have the full experience." And Jeffrey suddenly turns solemn and says: "He wanted this, you know?" Making me turn to him.
"Future Harry. He wanted this more than anything. He had Jeremy do this every night for several nights. It was his way of allowing him the chance to believe – that he wasn't alone." This really breaks me up and I decide to take some private time with my – now – eldest later before focusing back on my task at hand.
I move closer to the bed and Jeffrey helps as he uses a soft gust of wind to blow away the cover. I lie my son down on the bed, cast a quick bit of magic to make the bed itself more comfortable and the pillow softer and a bit fluffier. Then I finally pull the comforter over the thirteen year old body and I cast another quick little spell.
I then let a hand softly run through Harry's new long hair and kiss his forehead, softly whispering the same thing I did every night so many years ago. "You're safe, Harry. You're loved." And my smile widens as Harry does the same thing he did so many years ago. "Papa." The boy mumbles, sounding younger than he is.
At this I feel myself getting emotional and I wipe away the moist that starts to form at my eyelids before motioning Jeffrey to follow me. We come out and I look around, noticing that Regulus has the book in his hands and he says: "It's about time I get to play an active role in all this reading." I don't argue and just sit down.
Regulus' POV
The last 24 hours have been almost everything I dreamed of almost every night I was held captive inside the smallest prison imaginable. The only downsides are the fact that Pettigrew had been close to my nephew for three years and that he is now on the run and thus potentially planning something to get things back in his control.
The prophesy that the Lovegood girls made doesn't help this fact either, but everything else is absolutely brilliant. The fact that I now have not one but two sons is awesome. The fact that our kids is uniting the many different sets of our family as one is brilliant. And our kids, just being who they are, are beyond brilliant.
And I don't mean just the fact that they are Elementals, their characters, their ways of behavior and the bond they share with each other, considering each other siblings instead of just cousins is something I always hoped and wished for them while I was unable to be there for them myself. All in all, being back is just brilliant.
And so now I feel ready to play an active role, not just in the lives of my sons and my beloved partner, but also in the reason the Squad came back in time; to read several books in order to learn of what we need not to do if we don't want the future to go to hell in a hand-basket. And suddenly I realize something that makes me snicker.
"Damn, if mother were to hear my thoughts now, after all these years in the doll house, she'd be casting Scorgify on me for a month if not longer." I think to myself, yet I also know she will be proud of me. This because I have a second reason for wanting to be the next person to read a chapter about my nephew's Fourth year.
"I know I have the most calming voice of us all and that's something the Squad is going to need if they really want to share with us why they hate Dudley, or at least the Dudley of the future, so much." And while this thought really makes me worry about my eldest son, do I not let this show on my face as I start to read.
Aboard the Hogwarts Express
Yet here Jeremy already interrupts me as he sighs: "Well, I guess the best way to start the chapter is –." But I stop him and say: "Just let me see if there is something important at the start of the chapter first, son." Jeremy looks both cross and concerned with this, but he does nod and I put a hand on his as I start to read.
There was … Hogwarts Express.
Here I stop as this doesn't sound important and Jeremy nods as he says: "Let me start with a story about the one character who didn't come back with us. The worst thing Dudley did to Harry." Instantly tension is all about the hall and I just know that James is glad that his partner and son are fast asleep right now.
Everyone sits a little closer and some students even pull out notepads, but at this Edena growls and snaps her fingers. And embers appear on all these notepads, but nowhere near the student hands. They yelp and scream and Edena snarls: "Our bad histories aren't essays for you to hand into your classes or something, capish?"
And the students that had pulled out notepads and bits of parchment turn red and mutter or mumble apologies. Jeremy sighs and says: "I don't know everything. Like we told you, this was the same summer Harry told us to go down under. In the summer before, next summer, Harry hardly met up with us at all.
And after we met up again, it took him a lot to come clean to us just how bad the war was. But he did admit a few things. The war started, unofficially, at the end of the year we are currently reading about – and it started with a murder." And instantly I know that James is no longer feeling glad to not have his loved ones with him.
Yet Jeffrey and Jessie instantly fix this issue as they sit on either side of him and hug the man tightly, allowing him to draw comfort from their presence. "Harry was witness of this and it caused him to leave Hogwarts really traumatized. No, the murder didn't happen at Hogwarts, just during the end of the Hogwarts year."
The students that had gasped in fear and turned to me and the book in fright now calm down and turn back to Jeremy who goes on: "Still, he left the school badly traumatized, but got no love or help from the Muggles. If anything they got angry with him when his nightmares and him waking up screaming woke them up.
Well, Vernon would do that. Just after his birthday, Dudley proved why he hadn't been doing the same or complaining to his parents about Harry doing so. One late afternoon, he and Harry were walking home together, Harry was getting a bit of payback on the bastard – and he started making fun of Harry having experienced this."
Everyone either gasps, makes an exclamation, lets out an insult or gets wide eyed with horror and disgust at this. Jeremy nods and says: "Yeah, laughing about the fact that Harry was having nightmares, that in his dreams he was calling out to Uncle James and Mss. Lily, that he was begging that monster not to kill.
He even mocked Harry for the person that got killed. Needless to say, that did make Harry snap and feel ready to break the Statute of Secrecy, but still – he never apologized. The funny thing is, that did get followed by an act where Harry had to save his life and he did thank him for that, in his own way, but he never apologized."
Here I notice Severus having turned to James and Remus and he mutters: "That sounds as bad as that fake memory of the Willow, but otherwise – even they never sunk that low." I nod and also feel proud that Severus is starting to acknowledge that there is a difference between his memories and the past. And with that I read on.
He, Ron … the Ministry!"
Instantly every thought of Lily's cousin is out of everyone's mind as the notion of someone from the Ministry needing a father on the day he is supposed to see his kid of definitely draws their attention. And I myself get a strong sense that this has something to do with the whole plot Harry from the future told us we were starting to uncover.
This notion alone makes me really worried as I already know that this plot is nothing more than a start-up to that war that my son just mentioned unofficially started at the end of this year. And the notion of a war starting unofficially makes me really worried about what happened before it began officially. I sigh and read on.
Harry flattened … any casualties."
Here I turn to the only person who could help me with understanding how this problem could be linked to the current mystery and Albus has lost his twinkle. This would make others think is because he has been friends with Mad-Eye for years, but I know it's because he is just as worried about the mystery as I am.
Yet I also have to work really hard not to turn to the one person who should be most worried about this, but going by her behavior, I know that she no longer remembers the fact that she was once a married woman. And while I really hope I can get them back together if the man ever gets to join us here, do I read on.
"All right … last night…"
And instantly I turn to Albus again, who gives me a solemn nod as he says: "If the curse did strike Remus, I had already gotten word from Alastor he'd take it on next. He respects Remus' strength, but he also mentioned how he hoped he wouldn't – never mind, you know him." I nod and think: "That I do." As I read on.
"Never mind … be fine."
"This was one of the only two times that Mr. Weasley couldn't make it. I never found out why he couldn't the first time." Irma reads of another one of her notes and Arthur smirks as he says: "That was actually that other time we needed to save his skin because his paranoia got the better of him." But this makes me frown.
"Arthur, this isn't just a case of Alastor going paranoia. This is part of the plot, part of the mystery Harry from the future told us about he was struggling with. This is part of that." The man looks shocked, but I can tell that I am not the only one who came to this conclusion. I share grim looks with the others and read on.
As Mr. … the room.
Arthur looks at his sons hurt at this, but Iris cuddles closer with her father and says: "Daddy, you should know by now that, the crazier a person, the more Fred and George seem to respect them. I mean, look at who their idols are." At which all of us send her mock-offended looks, holding back on snorting as I read on.
"Birds of … wizards everywhere."
"I wouldn't be surprised if my arrest had something to do with that." Sirius mutters and I nod as I say: "If there was ever anyone outside our group that would swear by your alliance to our cause it was him. I can only imagine what the MMB did to him." And this again makes it very hard for me to ignore his oblivious wife as I read on.
Or I want to, but then Jeffrey says: "That reminds me of the last time I decided to be scared of that fat bastard." Everyone turns to him and he says: "Again, this takes place in Harry's Fifth, just before we all went down under. Dudley got home a few weeks before Harry did and he made full use of that fact, too let me tell you.
He would constantly approach me in such a way I would feel the need to defend myself, only to suddenly take a turn and head home through some hidden alleyway or something. And he did that for a fortnight, making me more and more anxious for when I thought he would actually attack me. It happened the day before Harry came back.
He jumped me in the middle of this empty street when I was on my way to the Lupin twins and while I was ready to send him flying once again, did he just laugh and mock me for getting scared of him. He then tried to break my arm with a punch, but I conjured a wind shield to make my cloths thicker and he just growled Know your place, freak.
After that he left me alone and he and his friends started bullying all of the other kids. And trust me, going by what we heard, that bullying became pretty bad after we went down under. Though this was also because Dudley was actually afraid of Harry using his magic, too." I notice Severus grimace and know what he thinks as I read on.
Bill and … name soon."
This makes both the boy in question turn red and his boss grimace in slight guilt and Amelia tells him with false-sweetness: "Don't worry, Barty. You won't need to learn his name, he'll be coming to work for my office when he graduates. You know you have only yourself to thank for this." Crouch grimaces even worse and I read on.
Mrs. Weasley … into London.
At this I wonder why she didn't let either Harry or Hermione do so, but then I remember who I am dealing with. "She'd consider it prove that she's a bad host or something." And looking at two of my previous fellow prisoners makes me know they will try and take this trait out of her character before long and I read on.
"Arthur tried … man's leg.
"That reminds me. The one and only time Dudley thought I could be his next bully victim." Edena says and the smirk on her face says it all. This makes me both worry and feel a little better. "I was about seven and it was a few days after I first met Harry. That was actually what drew Dudley's attention my way.
It took him only a few days to find out I had fire as my Elemental ability – or as he called it, the freaky power to make things go BOOM! His words, not mine. And he thought the best way to bully me, was through that power. Thought he could make his friends chase me into this small alleyway that he had littered with illegal fireworks.
Those three ended up in the local hospital with severe firework damage for a good week or two – and burned bums that made it really hard for them to sit still while in class." At this everyone is either smiling, smirking and just sending glowering looks of praise at the girl and I think: "Finally, some relief." As I read on.
The journey …of them.
"I said it plenty times before and I will say it again, I always wanted to try that out." My own son happily moans as he tells us this and I think: "As a Rock and Stone Elemental I can only imagine how feeling such magic affect his element will feel for him." And I send him a smile, proving I am happy that he can do so now as I read on.
The Hogwarts … after all."
Yet the fact that it's Charlie of all Weasleys instantly sends alarm bells ringing. That is, until Edena turns to her mother and says: "I know you love us and that you worry, but if that hints at what I think, Charlie will have me work alongside him. No mum, sorry, no objections." I send the woman a quick look at this and then read on.
"Yeah, I … of it."
And while others would consider this just playful sibling banter, do I notice the older twins of Lily and Remus starting to glare in annoyance. "No good bastard.""Son of a monkey's uncle." The two growl, one actually sounding heated with anger, the other cold with anger, but one that sounds tempered by another, darker emotion.
"What happened?" Lily asks in concern and Jack answers: "Bastard tricked us.""As you know, we're born shortly after Harry was. And for Harry's birthday, Dudley promised a special surprise for him and his friends, aka us. He constantly kept saying how the surprise was especially for Eddy and me, hinting at something big."
"Yeah, it was big, alright. On our own birthday, he lured us all into this one place where he said he had prepared this party especially for our and Harry's birthday. And our gift? A beating from every single bully in both our school and the only other one in the town. It took all of our powers not to get pummeled into the hospital."
Then the twins, as one, both the older and the younger duo, turn to Arthur and in one unified voice that actually sounds a bit creepy as it sounds like just one voice with a very deep undertone, they say: "We were five when that happened. Harry wasn't even our friend at the time, we were just all considered the outcasts of the community."
The man looks shocked, but then sighs and turns to the others as he says: "I heard enough. You were all right. Dudley deserves what Fred and George planned to do to him had this still happened and had Harry not gotten his family back. I'm truly sorry I picked his side without knowing who he was and what his character is like."
And everyone, from both the Gang and the Squad, look at the man in grateful acceptance. Yet I also notice that there is something extra to Isaac's gratitude, as if he is also relieved that he doesn't have to speak his part. This reminds me, again, of him being the one that Harry trained with and while I wonder about him, do I read on.
"A bit … you, George?"
"To be honest, I thought it quite funny that she was warning Fred and George, when it had been Ron, Hermione and me that got into way more trouble the past three years. Though at the same time, that didn't make much sense to me either." Irma reads and while I snort at how the twins look gob-smacked at this, do I read on.
The pistons … his hooting.
"Hate to say it, bro, but that is a clear indication that you want to be bullied. It's like showing a red flag to a bull, really." Iris tells her twin before Edena goes on: "Not to mention, now you have to look at it all train ride." At which Ron groans and moans: "Why didn't book-me think of that?" His siblings shrug and I read on.
"Bagman wanted … we do…"
Here Irma gasps and when I look up, I notice that it wasn't a note that popped out of the file, but two pictures. And while the girl is sitting on the other side of the table, do I notice some kind of scrawl on the back of both pictures. I motion for this and Irma reads: "Pre-Sixth, Post-Sixth." Before turning the two back to face her.
"What does that mean?" Ron asks and Irma says: "In this one, the Pre-Sixth, Draco definitely looks the way he did when Buckbeak was mentioned last book. In this one – he looks like Sirius, but then the one from the newspapers." Instantly the boy in question whitens, yet I have already realized what this meant and nod as I say:
"Learning about the Dark Arts from a vocal perspective and learning of them from a practical perspective are two completely different things. And the soul of a child, be they teen or younger, is not capable of handling the latter, no matter how dark their family grows up to be." Everyone looks at me shocked and I read on solemnly.
Hermione got … Dark Arts."
"Though it seems Lucius didn't tell Draco the full story – or perhaps he himself forgot it in the books." I go on. The blond looks at me and I say: "You know as well as I, Lucius, that Durmstrang has two curriculums. One for the kids and teens and one for those who are off age. And Learning Dark Arts is only for the latter."
Yet at this Lucius grunts and my eyes widen before I sigh and say: "Or the MMB made you forget about that, so your love for the Dark Arts and your fake loyalty to that monster would be more real, more genuine. Should have thought of that." And as Poppy takes care of yet another patient, do I sigh and continue reading.
"I think … said Ron.
Here Hermione sends a smug smirk at the tent, obviously meant for her drowsing friend, but Jeffrey shakes his head and says: "Harry didn't read it for the same reasons you did, Hermione. He read it once cover to cover to just learn about the new world, but then only read the practical stuff, the stuff that could benefit him."
This shocks the girl and Jessie goes on: "Harry's different from you when it comes to studying and reading. He doesn't read to learn and be the smartest. He reads to make sure he has information that can benefit him and his. That's why he will never read as many reference guides and whatnot as you, it's useless in his eyes."
"But –.""But his essays still get high marks, because he knows how to write about topics in a clear, to-the-point, no-nonsense fashion that covers everything important and leaves out insignificant details. If you write about a castle, you don't write about when or how every last stone was placed, you write about what happened inside it."
Hermione nods at this, her eyes proving that she is starting to get where the two are coming from and Jeffrey finishes it: "Harry is smart. He is talented. He's just also the kind of guy who likes to use his smarts and talents for practical stuff and not just for an essay or a report or something like that." At which I proudly read on.
"So go … said Harry.
"Though he sure also knows how to act like a gullible little fool as well." The two siblings then suddenly chorus and Rosie sighs as she says: "Not really caring for minor details is one thing, but pretending to not know them is a whole other." And James mutters: "I'll talk to him about it." Is my cue to read on.
"But I … likes him…"
This makes all five Malfoys glare at the boy, but Ron says: "First off, not apologizing, not after the crap he put Buckbeak through. Second off, I would never do that in a way that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be able to heal. A minor break or two, no more." The five Malfoys grudgingly accept this, but still glare at him as I read on.
The rain … a grandmother.
"I can only imagine what that would have been like." Frank mutters, but Alice seems angered at this and asks: "What happened to our wills? With our state being what it was, surely the Goblins would feel like executing them. We specifically wrote that Amelia should raise Neville if something happened to us, after all."
This shocks the woman in question and Frank asks: "You forgot that we made you Neville's Godmother, didn't you?""No, the MMB made us all believe that was Lily. That she was Neville's godmother and Alice Harry's." At this Frank and James sigh and James mutters: "That was a clever move of that filthy rat."
"Well, clever or not, Amelia is Neville's godmother and this still doesn't explain why our wills weren't read after we ended up in St. Mungo's." Alice growls and Frank calmly hugs her close as he says: "I'll look into it when I get a chance, love, now calm." And as he soothingly rubs her back, do I continue to read.
Seamus was … guffawed stupidly.
And like I expected does this make Elena and Elisa turn their glares from Ron to their brother and Elena asks: "Do you need to be so much like Dudley?" Shocking the boy and Elisa asks: "Is it really necessary to show off your pride by making others feel less than they are?" Draco has no answer or retribute and so I read on.
"So… going … do you?"
"Do you ever look in a mirror?" The girls growl, only to be shocked when Rosie mutters: "Probably, in a way." We all turn to her and she says: "He's considering Harry a mirror. It's his way of admitting his faults without having to admit that they're his faults. It really is quite pathetic." And the Gang and Squad look at her shocked.
Yet I also share a look with those that know and remember the true events of the past and I know they all think the same thing. "That is such a thing our Rosie would say." Which makes a spark of hope bloom in my heart as I really do hope that the Rosie that bugged us all those years ago is not the one we're sitting with as I read on.
"Either explain … of him…"
Here Arthur and Percy glare at Lucius and Arthur says: "Or perhaps –." But then Edena says: "Don't bother, you lot were constantly teasing without telling. You really were no better than them." And the fact that his own daughter says this and defends his rival shocks the father silent and makes Lucius gob-smacked as I read on.
Laughing once … a pulp.
"You've got some real insecurity issues there, little bro. Anything you care to share with your big sis?" Edena asks her younger sibling and Ron hesitates as he asks: "Would you – I mean, do you mind if –." But Edena gets him and says: "Fine by me." The two share a grin and I can really see how they'd be twins if they were the same age.
Iris then happily pulls her twin close herself and the hug Ron gives her back speaks a thousand words, especially after the warning Harry gave at the end of the last chapter. Ron always had stuff that was either second-hand or bad of quality. To now have such a brilliant twin is something he doesn't want to share. I nod at him and read on.
Ron's bad … with Hagrid.
This makes every member of the Gang share a look and Ron snickers: "Yeah, if the weather stays what is described in the book, you'll be dealing with that." But then Irma says: "No, we won't. Rain is water and that's my element." Shocking the boy before he mutters: "Lucky bunch." Making the Gang laugh as I read on.
"Oooh, I …Hogwarts Castle.
Yet while I know that this isn't true, do I then remember one of the tales told to us just now. I too turn to the tent, this time with a look of concern instead of glee and from the corner of my eye, notice James doing the same. The man turns to me and the look in his eyes says it all. This is another topic the mother will discuss with his son.
I sigh and say: "Well, that chapter was a lot more eventful than it needed to be. Though I got to say, the point at where it ends is a bit off.""Probably because the next chapter will be about the Goblet of Fire and all that." The Weasley twins chorus, excitement and anticipation clear in their tones, but I don't share this with them.
I do nod in agreement, but the idea that the Goblet of Fire – and with that the Tri-Wizard Tournament – might be used by Voldemort to get himself back to a body and that someone – probably one of the Champions – is going to lose his or her life in that fact really worries me. And then, from the corner of my eye, I notice it.
Albus is subtly drinking from a small goblet, but while his eyes seem closed as if he is trying to calm down before the big reveal, do I spot this not being true. Instead the man's eyes are roaming over the hall at large, concern, worry and fear in his eyes that is at its strongest when he reaches our mismatched group, our family.
Poor Albus,
So I know that I keep playing it up that Isaac has this mysterious side to him that makes others rely on him for training and that makes it look as if he has a dark side to him, but I have special plans for him. Where his sister is always at the center of attention with her intelligence, Isaac is a wall-flower, a dangerous one.
Personally, if I were to Sort the kid, I'd put him in Slytherin. And if you want a bit of a comparison, think of him as this. He is what Tom Riddle was when he convinced the staff that Hagrid was the Heir, but without the disdain for all those who deserve a good chance at life. He's charming, deceitful, but with a heart of gold.
Be wary, be very wary,
Venquine1990
