Authors Note:

Hi Guys, it's been a while hasn't it. Life has really being getting away from me just lately. To give you some context I'll update you on what I've been doing since I saw you last.

I broke the Laptop my father brought for me and thanks to his pig-headedness I had to try to get the company to fix it without the paperwork. My 'wonderful' father wouldn't give me the paperwork and I never got it fixed.

I finished my collage course just before Christmas. I'm proud of how well I did; it wasn't easy.

I got a new (second Hand) Laptop. I broke the Laptop. I had the laptop fixed for more money than the piece of sh8t was worth.

I got a Job. I clean at Asda (it's like Walmart but in England).

I had my first Pre-op therapy appointment. (I have another one in May).

I got a new PC because I break Laptops.

I've started an original novel so that's taking up a fair bit of my time.

But mostly I'm just tired all the time. So sorry. I'll try to be better.

Beta's Note:

Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since we last spoke. I've been busy with... Things...

My life, as of late, has been interesting, to say the least. I got a job, an amazing partner, and am planning a trip to visit a friend, in America, soon.

Speaking of my job, any of you live in the East Midlands (UK), own your own house, and don't mind helping Celran earn some money for said trip, let me know!

But yeah, I've had one hell of a time, lately. My life has been full of Love, Loss, Betrayal, and Joy, as of late, not necessarily in that order. I found out that my best friend wasn't the person I thought he was, and that hurt a lot more than I thought it was, because I saw him as a big brother to me. Then bam, suddenly he's gone, and has broken the heart of someone dear to me. So, y'know, been keeping myself, and her, sane, which hasn't always been an easy task, to begin with (Because we ALL know that I'm a mad bastard, already).

And WOW that got too personal! Moving on!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanywaay, I'm gonna stop boring you all with my personal life, and start worrying about getting older, on the 12th (help me, I don't want to grow up!)

And with that, I bid you Farewell

Celran Out!

Dives out through the window

WAIT WE'RE ON THE THIRD FLOOR! SH***T!

Distant crashing noise


Chapter 89

Luna Lovegood was sat at the piano; she let her fingers brush the keys. It was late but Professor Lupin had charmed it for her so the sound wouldn't wake anyone.

Luna was described by many as a calm child, when she wasn't being called strange. Tonight however some anxiety was keeping her awake. She didn't let it show but she was quite afraid of this war; it was natural of course to be afraid of war but it didn't calm her fears.

Now Luna knew something about this war that many around her didn't. This war was destined, predetermined and entirely unavoidable. This wouldn't ease the anxiety but it was something she had known since she had first laid eyes on Harry James Potter. To her that was his name; Evans was a name he used for others but never for her. Evans was a mask for Harry; he would have no masks with her.

Anyway Luna could remember the day quite clearly. She had found herself searching for the Umgubular Slashkilter -which she never found by the way- on the train for her first year. She had passed many carriages but could sense her little friend was not in them.

Then she was face to face with Harrys. She knew this was not where her friend was but she was compelled to go in anyway. She knew this meeting was destined too. Just like the war.

He knew her name and yet she had never seen Harrys face before but she in turn knew him. She could sense greyness around him. Harry had issues in his life. She could sense his destiny but didn't quite know what it was. It didn't take her long to decipher it. A war. Harry would be fighting a war.

It was now that Luna realized how close that War truly was. That was why she couldn't sleep. She worried not about herself. Death didn't scare Luna or bother her at all; but the loss of time she didn't like. How much time did the world now have?

These were the thoughts that led her to the Piano that night. Lunas grandmother had been the one to first teach her to play of course the amazing woman was no longer alive but Luna's mum continued the lessons for a while.

Luna still played very often. It was something she enjoyed; it relaxed her when nothing else could.

"Luna what are you still doing up?" A surprised voice came from behind her.

"Same as you Harry." Luna turned her neck to smile at the older boy. "Couldn't sleep."

Harry paused for a moment when it struck him that these must be Luna Lovegoods pajamas. She was dressed in a full body onesie shaped after a pastel colored unicorn. On her feet she still wore her regular boots. She looked a strange site at James Potters Piano but she looked very Luna.

"Want some tea or something?" Harry finally asked.

Luna lifted her fingers from the instrument. "Some milk would be nice."

Harry gave a small nod as he left the room. Luna turned back to the piano and began to play again. It was a fast but pleasant little tune.

Harry returned with Luna's milk and some tea for himself. Luna took the warm mug into her hands as the tune finished.

"You're very good at that. What's the piece called?"

She smiled to him. "Thank you. It's my grandfather's favorite flight of the bumblebee. My grandmother used to play it for him."

"I Like it."

"Harry." Luna began. Harry looked up to her face. "I know he was bad to you but maybe could you let professor Dumbledore in. It's looking like it is about to rain."

"What, is he outside?"

"He has been for three days."

"No one tells me anything." Harry held his hands into his hair cursing in his mind. "Right I'm going to get him. Can you wake Remus and Sirius for me?"

Albus knew the cottage was somewhere in this village. Godrics hollow was one of the first places he searched for Harry Potter. The fact Albus couldn't find the house was as much proof he needed that the young Potter was hiding out here; even if Albus couldn't break past whatever magic was keeping the place hidden.

Albus Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard of modern times; properly more powerful than Merlin himself. He should have been able to find one fifteen year old boy.

He stood beneath the statue of Lily and James Potter. He knew the monument could be seen from the cottage but still it remained hidden from him. Albus was not sure wither he could trust the boy Potter any longer.

The boy had been through a lot at the hands of his relatives and Albus had tried to support him carefully. He had created ward-after-ward to protect the boy. Aurors had been tailing him for years now; Alistor broke that off weeks ago now.

Then Albus had seen inside the boys mind. Harry had mental shields stronger than Albus had ever witnessed before. There was only one point of weakness but the Headmaster took it. What he saw was unimaginable. It was like Harrys mind was decayed.

Albus feared the child. Or what the child was to become.

The boy was not to be trusted. Albus couldn't trust him; the situation was more grave than that of young Tom Riddles.

Albus didn't realize he was moving for the first half of the moment. Then in the second half of that moment he had arrived inside the Cottage he had been so desperately looking for.

Albus pealed his head from the carpet to look up. Five people were looking down at him.

Remus Lupin was dressed in a pajama suit and dressing gown with a restrained look on his face. Sirius Black was shirtless in shorts and glaring at him. Alistor Moody was dressed as he was normally but for a sleeping cap on his head.

Harry Potter, dressed in casual muggle dress, was holding hands with Luna Lovegood dressed as a pastel blue unicorn.

"Hello Albus." Alistor smiled down at the elderly man. "You okay down there."

Albus lifted himself from the ground. "I've been searching for you Mr. Potter."

"Yes Sorry I didn't notice you out there. No one told me you were here till just now." Albus didn't believe a word of it.

"We need to talk Harry."

The boy nodded. "Come sit down." He motioned towards the sofas in the room. "Talbec." Harry called the house elf. "Could you get some late night snacks and a drink for everyone please?" Harry asked once the elf arrived.

"Of course, will I be fetching the others sir?"

"I believe Tonks would like to be here but don't wake anyone else."

"Miss Tonks is playing chess with Mr Krum, they are not sleeping." Harry just nodded and the elf disappeared.

"Potter this is foolish." Albus told him not sitting down at all.

Harry was already sitting beside Luna and Sirius. Remus did not sit but Alistor was in an armchair to the side. "You might have to be a little more specific sir."

"You are a child, you should not be pulling other children to war."

Harry shook his head. 'You are one to talk.' Harry restrained himself from speaking. "I have helped the two Creevy boys transfer to Ivenmory. And Jessica Janice transfer to Dumnstrang."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I have helped many children escape the war, with my own personal funds. Most have chosen to stay but I have given eternally open opportunities to escape."

"Headmaster why are you here?" Sirius demanded. "This conversation is getting us all nowhere."

"Voldemort is coming after Harry he needs my protection. My guidance."

"He has more than enough protection and guidance here Albus." Mad-eye countered. "He's created quite a support network. He's well on his way to a full blown army."

"You can't believe the child can lead this war."

"He'll do better than you." The young Nymphodora Tonks answered. Tonks and Viktor now stood at the foot of the stairs; there chess game abandoned.

"I am One hundred and fifteen years old, I have fought in two wars. You can't possible believe you are more cut out for this than me."

Harry rubbed his face. "It sounds to me you think you alone are more capable of winning a war than both the thirty people I had at my meeting last night, the nearly one hundred I had that were not present and myself. The person who beat Voldemort the last time."

"You were an infant."

"I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about the chamber of secrets, or maybe I was talking about the philosopher's stone."

"You are a child."

"For Merlin Sake Albus you are missing the whole point." Mad-eye Moody objected. "Maybe if you listened and payed some attention to the boy you would learn a thing or two. We're out dated old boy. That snake man knows our strategies, he could predict us as well as we predict him. Some new blood might well push our side over the edge." Albus stopped. "These children are smart. They listen and learn more quickly than I thought possible. I've seen them train. They read and Practice and god help us Albus but any one of them could kick me on my arse."

It had been a very long time since Albus had seen his old friend like this. And in truth if Alistor said that a child could beat him up he was telling the truth; Alistor Moody was nothing if not an honest man. This house had wards beyond anything Albus had ever seen. There were some pretty strange books lining the shelves and swords hanging on the walls. Clearly both things- books and weapons- were frequently used.

"Headmaster." "Albus." "Sir."

"Yes?" Albus snapped himself out of his own mind as it ran ramped.

"You phased out." Tonks shrugged still in the corner.

"Potter." Albus spoke quickly.

"Yes Sir." Harry held his head up to look the professor right in the eye. As if challenging him to try and breach his mind again.

"You're mind, child. It is dark and twisted." The headmaster still held Harry in a harsh gaze.

"That wasn't mine headmaster. The mind you saw was that of Tom Riddle. His soul- his horxrucs." Harry told him. "But you already suspected that didn't you."

Dumbledore remained quiet for a time. "It's inside of you."

"Not exactly- it's complicated magic. I have people working on a way to retract it without killing me. We've been making headway and I'm sure it will work. Until then it's locked tightly away in here." Harry ran his finger across the scar.

"You need me Potter."

"I think you might be the one who needs him." Tonks gave a signature grin to the headmaster. "He's made more headway than you could imagine."

"Maybe we could help each other." Dumbledore suggested, currently feared Harry Potter but he trusted Alistor. He needed caution. "I can train you in advanced magic's and you could tell me when you plan-."

"I don't need your lessons sir. I need just your name. I can offer you some information but I'm not quite ready to trust you."

"Master Harry Potter." One of the elves appeared in the center of the room. "Potion Master Snape has woken, he is on his way up sir."

"Severus is still here?"

"I am Headmaster." Severus was gaining a little colour. A light charm had been placed on his arm to dampen the pain but he was still a little weak and forced to use a walking stick to keep his balance.

"You look Ill Severus."

Severus nodded almost rolling his eyes. "Just a bit of pain. Although I will not be returning to work this year. My healers are putting me on house arrest."

"Oh Severus I'm sure you don't-"

"Headmaster I have already sent you the note from my healers and my temporary resignation. I will not be coming back this year. I cannot teach in my condition."

"I was hoping it would pass."

"Too bad." Tonks was quite groggy that night which cause her to get more than usual joy out of antagonizing the headmaster.

It was going to be a long night.


AN:

*TIA sitting with a first aid box tending to Celrans head*

TIA: Is It wishful thinking to hope this will knock some sense into you?

Celran: Have a wild guess

*TIA goes to speak but is cut off*

Celran: In fact I'll answer for you. Fuck to the HELL NO!

TIA: You really need to tone down the language you Idiot.

Celran: Ahh, you love it really.


Until Next Time, and there will be a next time. ~TIA and Celran