The Bloodline Box

A week had gone by since the battle in Diagon Alley and things at Grimmauld Place were slowly returning to normal. Harry still had not gone to Sirius' room he was afraid the memories would be to difficult. He had only told Ron what Tonks had said to him before she passed away and Ron was continually bugging him to go look. Ron felt it would help him deal with everything somehow. Each time Ron mentioned the gold box in Sirius' room Harry would turn deep red and yell at Ron.

"Come on mate," Ron said, "It was his last wish for him and Tonks, you owe it to them."

"Fine! Lets go open the box," Harry shouted just as Hermione and Ginny walked in the room, "lets go to Sirius' room and find out what he left me."

"What box Harry?" Ginny asked as Harry turned and noticed them in the room for the first time.

"Thanks a lot Ron!" Harry yelled at his best friend, "Now I am going to have to tell them too!"

"Sorry mate," Ron said sheepishly, "I really am."

"Harry we are your friends," Hermione said, "you can tell us anything."

"Ok Hermione," Harry said defeated, "the day of the fight when we were at St. Mungo's Professor Dumbledore did a spell that let me, him and Tonks talk. When we were talking she told me not to blame myself for anything that has happened, and that Sirius was really proud of me. She also told me that Sirius left a gold box in his room for me and that I am supposed to go open it."

"What's in the box, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know," Harry told her, "I haven't gone up there yet. I don't know if I want to know what is in it."

"But, Harry," Hermione protested, "what if it is something really important?"

"Fine," Harry said, "we were just getting ready to go anyways."

Harry opened the door to Sirius' room and stepped in. It was a simple room, on the wall to the left was a small bed, on the wall directly in front of them was a window that looked out onto the street. On the wall opposite the bed was a large armoire, in the center of the room was a round table that had four chairs around it.

"Ok," Harry said as he looked around the room, "Tonks said it was a gold box that I am supposed to find." The group split up and began searching for it. Ginny looked under the bed, Ron and Hermione looked in the closet. Harry walked over to the armoire and tried to open it, the doors were locked.

"Hey, Ron," Harry called him over, "did Fred and George ever teach you how to pick locks?"

"No," Ron said, "just use magic."

"Ronald," Hermione said in a pestering voice, "we are not at Hogwarts, we can't use magic. The only reason you two got away with it before was because it was during a battle."

"Oh yeah," Ron said turning red.

"I can do it Harry," Ginny said from the floor by the bed, "they showed me how to do it." Ginny walked over to the armoire and pulled a hair clip out of her hair and unfolded it. Then she slid it into the lock and began wiggling it around, after a few attempts she heard a soft click. She removed the hair clip and pulled the door open. "There you go Harry," Ginny said with a small smile.

"Thanks, Ginny," Harry said giving her a wink, "here it is!" Harry was now excited to have found it, he forgot all about his anger and not wanting to see the box.

"Wow," Hermione said, "Harry do you know what that is?"

"Um, a gold box?" Harry said sarcastically.

"No Harry," Hermione said in an irritated voice, "well, yes it is a gold box, but its more than that. It is a Bloodline Box, it means that only people in a direct bloodline can open it."

Harry took the box to the table and set it down. "Well then how am I supposed to open it?" Harry asked, "If it was Sirius' I won't be able to open it."

"Um, Harry," Ron interrupted pointing at the Bloodline Box, "I don't think opening it will be a problem for you."

Harry looked at the box, it was six inches long, two inches wide and two inches deep. The box was solid gold with very intricate scroll work engraved on the sides. On the top of the box engraved in beautiful calligraphy script was a name, Evans, below the name was a large perfect emerald inlayed into the gold.

"Wow," Ginny said in awe, "Harry, that box must have been your mum's." All Harry could do was nod. He sat in a chair and just stared at the box and traced the name with his finger.

"Well go on, Harry," Ron urged him, "open it up."

Harry nodded his head again and leaned forward and grabbed the box, he hesitated before he lifted the lid. "Well here goes." Harry slowly opened the lid and set the box back down on the table. The first item in the box was a roll of parchment that Harry unrolled and began to unconsciously read out load.

My Dearest Harry,

Hello my son. First I want to say that your dad and I love you so much. If you are reading this letter that means that Voldemort has found us and I am dead. I am sorry that we couldn't be there for you. We went into hiding when we learned of the Prophecy that Trelawney made. We thought that if we could hide long enough for Albus to learn how to defeat Voldemort the Prophecy would become null. I'm afraid that something must have gone terribly wrong. Now about the Bloodline Box and medallion that is in it. The box has been passed down the Evans family line for ten generations, my father gave it to me when I was accepted into Hogwarts. The medallion was given to me the same day, your grandfather didn't know how long it had been in the family but said that it was very old and he believed that there was some ancient magic in it, but I never got it to do anything for me. I think it is just a family heirloom, I wore it everyday that I had it until tonight. Tonight I took it off to put in this box so you can have it Harry. Peter just showed up, we are making him our secret keeper tonight, I have to go. I love you Harry.

Love Always,

Mum

Harry looked back at the box with a tear in his eye and he leaned forward and took the medallion in his hand. The medallion was solid silver and hung on a silver chain, in a raised relief image that looked like it was bronze was a red fox. Under the fox was engraved the words Per Callidus De Vulpes Volpes Vester. Harry slid the chain over his head and tucked the medallion behind his shirt.

"Thanks guys," Harry said with a smile on his face, "thanks a lot for making me come up here to find this. It might not have any magic with it, but it is from my mum and that means the world to me. Plus this letter says directly that the Rat was my parents secret keeper not Sirius, it helps to clear his name."

"You're right, Harry," Hermione said, "it will help. But can I ask a question?"

Harry was so happy right now he didn't think that the question might be about the Prophecy, "Yeah sure, go ahead."

"Do you know what Prophecy your mum was talking about," Ginny said almost reading Hermione's mind, "was it about you?"

Harry winced when he heard the question. He then took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Yes I do know about the Prophecy," Harry answered with his eyes still closed, "and yes it is about me. I learned about it the night of our fight at the Department of Mysteries, that's what Voldemort was after. Professor Dumbledore told me after I finished destroying his office."

"Well," Ron spoke up, "what did it say?"

"I wasn't going to tell you guys this," Harry whispered, "I don't want you to worry too much."

"Harry," Ginny spoke softly while reaching for his hand, "we are your friends. We will worry about you whether we know what the Prophecy is or not."

Harry seemed to gain courage and strength with Ginny's words and touch.

"Ok, this is what the Prophecy says;

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."

Harry sighed when he finished, it felt good to have it off of his chest.

"But what does it mean?" Ginny asked still holding Harry's hand.

"It means that either I have to kill Voldemort or Voldemort has to kill ME," Harry answered, "and that by him trying to kill me when I was a baby was how he marked me as an equal. There were two of us that the Prophecy applied to, me and Neville. But Voldemort didn't know the entire Prophecy and just assumed that it was me, and by marking me, made me the only one the Prophecy could refer to."

No one spoke, they couldn't find the words. They knew that they would never leave Harry's side and would die to save him.

"Harry," Ron finally broke the silence, "we will be right by your side when you fight Voldemort, no matter what."

"Thanks Ron," Harry said while giving Ginny's hand a squeeze, "thanks to all of you. Well now I have to get this letter to your dad Ron, and begin the process of clearing Sirius' name."

Harry picked up the parchment and the Bloodline Box and led the group out of the room and down stairs to the kitchen.