The Founder's Secret Garden
Chapter 2: Found Family
All the living people in the garden were on the floor, eyes shut, some groaning as they tried to acclimate to the headache inducing memories that have just been magically pounded into their minds, and the new found magic they had. Yes, they all had magic before, but not this much power, not this many skills. It was a lot.
The memories especially were a lot.
None of them could hold in their tears no matter how much they tried.
Looking at them all before that invasion, none of them would have thought that any of them had been through such horrors. They all looked… happy, somewhat. Or they tried to. Or they just wore a blank mask that showed nothing.
But now they all knew everything, about everyone in this room, plus much of what the Founders had experienced in their lives, and afterwards.
It was a lot to take in.
A lot to get used to.
But they all knew now that they were no longer alone. That there were others who shared similar pains and experiences to them.
They weren't alone.
Wasn't that a shock to them all?
"Severus, sweetie, do you have any headache relievers for you all anywhere?" Helga asked quietly so as not to agitate them too much.
Severus groaned, "In my potions' store there should be enough for all of us,"
Helga quietly called for a house elf and asked them to get them each a headache reliever. There was soon a collective sigh of relief from the group of them but none of them made to get up, too mentally exhausted to want to do anything else but to lie in the beautiful, peaceful garden.
"I know you're all hurting," Helga said, "But we need to do the next ritual before we send you off to bed,"
"Why?" Fred whined from wherever he was sitting.
"Because you will all need the found family bond to help each other through, well, everything really," Godric said gently, his usually beaming voice toned down rather a lot, "You will then also have the night for your magic and bond to settle, so in the morning you will be more refreshed,"
"We can sit for this one, though. No need to stand," Rowena said, then chuckled as everyone complained but moved to sit in their circle anyhow.
They all held hands when prompted and the sparks of magic between them were dizzyingly insane.
"Right, now that we are all ready, we need you all to think of what family means to you. I understand that none of you have really had a family, not in the way you want one. But visualise what a family is to you, what you desire from family. Feel it, and the love you would have for your family throughout your body, your soul, your mind. Think about everything you have learned about these people with you in this moment, think about how much you care about them, how much you want to help them, and welcome them into your family," Salazar said in a soothing, yet stern voice.
"Let your mind, your heart, focus on these things. And let your magic feel it and expand to everyone in this garden, in this circle. It will take a little bit of time, but it won't hurt, if anything it will feel… good," Helga said, her soft voice washing away some of the pain they were still feeling.
"And when your magic is mixing we will start our chant to break the hold on your bond," Rowena said.
Harry looked at everyone in the circle and he could already feel a connection to them all. He didn't know if it was because he shared all their memories and they had his, that they understood each other on levels no one had ever understood them before, or if it was something else.
But it didn't matter.
These people were his family.
He could feel it in his bones.
His family.
His proper family. The people who would love him for himself, not because he was famous. The people he would love unconditionally, and who would love him unconditionally. The people he would look after, and who would look after him. The people who he could go to for help with anything, and who could come to him for help with anything. The people he could laugh with, cry with, feel safe with.
The people who were his home.
The people who were everything to him.
His magic had never felt so powerful as it did in that moment when it swirled out of his body and to everyone else, covering them in a warm embrace, and joining them all together as he felt their magics mix with his also.
The Founder's magics joined them all in a parental hold and started chanting;
"Frange tene vinclum nostrum
Familia sumus
Haec est nostra familia inventa
Vinculum nostrum aperiendum nobis est
Vinculum nostrum diligetur
Domina Magia, hoc vinculum fovebimus usque ad finem saeculi
Familia mea
Familia nostra
Nostra inventa familia,"
A burst of calming, homely magic shot from each of them, the light almost blinding, and yet warm, as the magics collided before seeping back into each of them.
Harry felt his bond with these people opening and he cherished the feelings of warmth, love, and home that washed over him. He couldn't stop himself from beaming as he felt the things that he had longed to feel his whole life.
He finally had a family.
A family.
He looked at them to find them all smiling, almost goofily, as if in a daze. He understood, though. None of them had ever had a proper family either. Not in the ways that mattered and most people took advantage of. He was rather dazed himself.
"Now then, once you are ready you may go back to your dorms and get some much needed rest. Harry and Severus, however, we would like to have some private words with you both if that is okay? It shouldn't take too long," Helga said gently, smiling at them all.
Everyone nodded sluggishly and after a few minutes people started to get up, but instead of leaving straight away everyone converged on each other with a hug bigger than any Harry had ever seen or been part of.
It was the best hug, though.
He had never felt more at home than he did at that moment.
It really was a moment, too, because the hug ended almost as soon as it started.
The sparks flying as they all touched were insane.
"What was that?" George asked, confused.
"Well, your soulmate bonds are now open, also, because we cleansed your systems of the potion during the first ritual," Rowena said, a smirk on his face, "You all just touched your soulmate for the first time,"
They all looked at each other in shock and awe, "How… How do we know who our soulmate is?" Neville asked nervously.
"Who do you all feel the most drawn to?" Salazar said, grinning almost excitedly as the founders watched them look at everyone before their eyes narrowed in amazement at the one person who was made just for them.
Harry noticed, for the first time since the first ritual, that Severus' glamour was off, that he was seventeen again. Severus was staring at him with the dark eyes that Harry felt like he could, and would rather happily, get lost in. And Harry stared right back, not wanting to miss anything, any detail, of the man that was his soulmate.
They took a step towards each other, then another.
Soon they were right in front of each other, drinking in the feeling of each other's magics, of their bonds, of… everything.
"Are you okay with this?" Harry whispered, worried that his teacher wouldn't be, especially after seeing those memories of how his father and his friends had treated his soulmate.
"I… Yes," Severus breathed, "I am okay with this,"
"Good," Harry smiled, and blushed slightly when Severus' lips twitched up slightly at the corners.
"Right, now that it is just us," Salazar cut in, smirking at the two as they jumped and turned to look at the four founders.
"Salazar, there was no need to ruin their moment like that," Helga scolded softly, although she couldn't contain her chuckle.
"There was every need. Our babies need to rest, Helga. But we need to talk to them, first," Salazar said, almost pouting.
"Your babies?" Severus asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Ignore him. He just loves to mother people. Even more than Helga does. I was the only father figure for their kids because they both insisted on mothering them," Godric laughed harder than he already was when Salazar scowled at him.
"What did you need to talk to us about?" Harry asked as he and Severus joined the founders at the large table.
"A number of things, really. First of all, although it is suggested that you all keep your soulmate bonds private for now, for you two it is more imperative than for anyone else," Rowena said, looking at them both with strict eyes, "I believe it may be obvious why since you both now have each other's memories, but I just want to stress how important it is that Dumbledore doesn't find out, at least, not until you are both more trained, and in a better place to protect yourselves and each other from him, and the Dark Lord,"
They both nodded in understanding. Harry knew that no one other than their family could know. Not for a while. Not until they were safe.
"Harry, the dreams you have been having of the Dark Lord," Helga started, and Harry shivered, "They aren't dreams, sweetie. They are visions of sorts, but they are what is currently happening, what the Dark Lord is currently seeing and doing. Dumbledore told you that you and the Dark Lord have a connection, but he failed to mention to you just what kind of a connection he was suspecting you had,"
"He likes to keep his cards close to his chest. He has no plans to tell you, Harry, until the war to come is nearly over. But we have been privy to a number of his mutterings to himself," Salazar said, "There is no easy way to say this, but you both need to and deserve to know. Harry, you are a Horcrux. Although, not an intentional one. As far as we can gather from Albus' mutterings the Dark Lord has created a number, although we aren't quite sure how many, of these monstrosities,"
"What are they?" Harry asked, feeling icky but not knowing why.
"They are containers, usually inanimate items, which house a portion of someone's soul, and, therefore, tie them to the land of the living forever. It makes the person immortal, because although you can kill their body, their soul, or part of it, is still on this plane, and therefore able to bring them back to some form of life. These items are created by splitting your soul, which you do by murdering someone, and then a ritual either shortly before or shortly after to tie that fragmented piece to the object in question. I won't go into detail because the ritual involved is not pleasant, as you can probably imagine. But the only way to defeat the Dark Lord is to destroy all these Horcruxes. You have already destroyed one of them, the diary in your second year," Harry felt like he was going to vomit as Godric talked.
"So… There is a piece of His soul in… in me?" Harry whispered.
"Yes, sweetie," Helga said sweetly, holding his hand and squeezing it gently.
"And… How do we get rid of it?" he hesitated.
"So far…" Rowena sighed, "The only way to destroy a Horcrux, of any kind, is to destroy the container… beyond repair. So far, the only way we have found of doing that with a living container, is to…"
"Kill him," Severus muttered, and Rowena nodded.
Harry couldn't stop the gasp that escaped his mouth.
"We obviously aren't going to kill you, Harry," Godric reassured quickly.
"No. But if that is true, and Dumbledore knows, then that means he was planning on killing me, right?" Harry said shakily, tears forming in his eyes.
"Not himself, no," Salazar admitted, looking at Harry with sorrow in his eyes, "He was going to tell you at the last minute in the hopes that you would do what your mother did for you, and sacrifice yourself for the Light. Then he was going to kill the Dark Lord and become more popular than ever for getting revenge for you,"
Harry was shaking, his magic felt like it was going to explode, and he wanted to scream. Severus placed a gentle hand on his back and rubbed it, soothing the latter two reactions somewhat, but the tears and the shaking wouldn't stop.
"Harry, sweetie, we will do everything we can to find a way to remove it without killing you. I promise. And even if we can't find anything then there are other options. You will not be dying any time soon. Not on our watch," Helga said determinedly.
"Not on mine, either," Severus said, "I presume he means for me to die, also,"
"Yes, although he isn't fixed on the way he wants you to die yet. He 'needs' it to happen, though, so that Harry can go to his death without you trying to protect him," Salazar said, his tone dangerous.
"How about no one dies?" Harry muttered.
"He is also keeping a lot of other stuff from you, Harry, but I will leave Severus to tell you all that he knows. But there is one that I feel like you deserve to know, especially now that you have found your soulmate," Godric said with his beaming voice.
"What?" Harry said, really hoping that it wasn't more bad news as he still battled with the tears and shaking.
"You're a bearer, Harry," Helga said, smiling sweetly at him, and chuckling as Severus gaped and Godric growled something about never being able to tell people the good news.
"What is a bearer?" Harry asked, confused.
"A bearer, sweetie, is a man, a wizard, who is able to bear children," Helga said.
Harry gaped at her, "How?"
"You were born with a womb. When you are ready to start having sex," Salazar grinned, "You will need to use a contraceptive potion or charm unless you are ready for a child. But essentially, Severus' sperm will mix with the magic in your womb and create a foetus. A male pregnancy is the same length as a females, and the symptoms are pretty similar across the board, though you may not get all of them. Every pregnancy is different after all. When you are eight months pregnant a birth canal will form overnight so that you are ready for the birth of your child. Male pregnancies are, however, more fragile than a female's. But Severus can tell you more, or you can read up on it if you would like to,"
Harry was staring down at his stomach in awe and shock that he could carry his own children. He had known, or guessed, that he was gay for a little while now. But he had still wanted children, a family of his own. And now he knew he could have it. Properly.
"Why didn't he tell me?" Harry looked up at the founders suddenly, confused, "I mean, what about telling me this would make me… I don't know, just, why didn't he tell me?"
"He… He had plans for you to marry a certain Ginny Weasley," Rowena said gently.
"Why?" Harry cringed.
"So that when you die, the Weasley family would have your money, houses, and such. Which reminds me, you two really ought to go to Gringotts as soon as possible. The old man has hidden a lot from you both regarding your families and inheritances," Godric said.
Harry was shaking more.
"I don't have an inheritance," Severus said.
"Yes, you do. But that will be something for you to discuss with the goblins. You both need your rest, school tomorrow," Helga said, smiling sweetly at them both.
"Fine," Harry grumbled, still shaking and trying to control his tears, "It was a pleasure to meet you,"
"And you, Harry," the founders said.
Harry stood from his seat, Severus doing the same, and they left the garden after saying their goodbyes.
They were standing in the corridor, looking at each other with awestruck eyes, not knowing what to do or what to say.
"So, when do you want to go to Gringotts?" Severus said after clearing his throat.
"Erm, on the weekend, I guess. If that is okay with you?" Harry said.
"Of course. We will arrange the trip later this week, when we are both rested and have both had some time to settle back into the school year properly," Severus said.
Harry nodded, "Well, goodnight then, sir,"
"You may call me Severus in private, Harry," Severus said, smiling slightly at Harry's blush.
"O-Okay. Goodnight, Severus,"
"Goodnight, Harry,"
Harry steeled himself and stood on his tiptoes to place a quick kiss on Severus' cheek before he turned and headed towards the tower, trying to dampen his blush as he walked.
Hello my lovelies, how are you all?
Happy New Year! I hope you all have an amazing one. I have so many plans and ideas for the year ahead, both in terms of my writing of fanfics, my original works, and everything else I am doing, and I am actually starting the year rather excited for once. It is weird, haha. But we will see how far we get with all of that I suppose.
Now, I don't want you to worry, Harry and Sev won't be having any of the sex, or be doing anything too romantic, for a good while yet, not until Harry is a good couple of years or so older. So no worries, there. But I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What do you think is going to happen? Is there anything you are interested in seeing? Would like to see? I am intrigued to know your thoughts.
Also, I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you would like to, and are able to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes, and more. It is also where I have an update schedule of sorts and will be keeping you up to date on what I am working on, both fanfics and original works, and everything else I have planned for this year. So if you are interested then feel free to join, I am happy to accept anyone.
I hope you are all having an amazing day!
Kind regards,
Paige xx