Harry Potter and the Power of the Past
Disclaimer: All JKR's, not mine.
Summary: This is a complete AU- Harry Potter is a 21-year-old wizard, who's on top of the world. He's rich, in love, and loved by all, but his life is turned upside down as a spiral of events leads to the ultimate battle between good and evil. Can Harry lead the fight for the light, but yet manage to keep his life together?
A/N: Thanks for the reviews everybody. Oh, and review again!
S/N: It should be two or three more chapters until the action starts, and the time skips are going to be a lot more noticeable now, so be ready for them.
S/N 2: So I trimmed down the wedding scene immensely, as it added nothing to the story and it was just overly awkward. If, however, you want a more indepth version, just review and tell me, and I'll email it to you—I have it written out.
Chapter 16: Bells will be ringing
"Master Harry, sir." Zeali chirped, tugging on Harry's arm the next morning. The wizard rolled over, pulling the elf up and onto the bed as a result. "Master Harry!" The elf tried again, this time kicking Harry in the leg. "You told Zeali to wake you up at this time, sir, no matter what it took."
"I'm up, I'm up!" Harry mumbled groggily, rubbing his eyes. He sat up in his bed and looked at the clock to his left, sighing as he realized it was just four hours until his wedding. He knew that Tonks was already up, and getting ready for the day back at the manor, but Harry didn't have that much to do. All he had to do was take a shower, grab something to eat, put on his robes, pull his hair back into a ponytail, and apparate there. Heck, even Cedric had more to do than him, so there was no need to wake up any earlier.
He fell out of bed, landing on the wooden floor with a loud thud. "Ow," He muttered, rubbing his crushed nose. He jumped up, and headed towards the door, grabbing a shirt that was hanging off the chair. He threw the shirt on, as he exited his bedroom, his bare feet flapping against the cold, hard floor. "Zeali," He said, hearing his house elf following behind him. "Do you think you could make me some breakfast?"
"Will do, Harry, sir." Zeali chirped, running ahead on his short legs, and entering the kitchen. Immediately, the elf turned on the stove, and cracked some eggs, the scent wafting throughout the loft.
Harry sighed, as the thought of this being the last time he'd be living in his apartment entered his mind. He would miss it that was for certain. He had spent four years living in it, and it was filled with memories of his friends and Tonks. His eyes roamed around the room, as he noticed for the first time just how empty it was without his belongings—all of which had been moved over to the manor.
He dropped into the couch, grabbing the prophet and opening it to read. Surprisingly, his wedding was only a blurb on the bottom of the front page, barely a paragraph. After checking out the other headline stories, Harry threw the paper onto the coffee table, leaned back in the couch, and closed his eyes. He wasn't tired, he just wanted to think about the future; the future that him and Tonks would make for themselves. He thought he'd be a good husband. After all, he would love, hold, take care of, and protect her for the rest of his life, and at the end of the day, isn't that what husbands were supposed to do?
His nostrils flared, as he smelt bacon in the air, which made his stomach growl. Rising to his feet, he strolled into the kitchen, and grabbed himself a glass of pumpkin juice. He watched as Zeali dumped the food onto a plate, and placed it on the table in front of him. "Thank you, Zeali." He said, taking his fork and eating some of the eggs.
"You're welcome, Harry, sir." Zeali bowed, looking at the floor. He snapped his fingers, cleaning the pan with a simple gesture. Then, with another snap of his fingers, they disappeared; presumably back to where they came from. "I will go and layout your clothes for you, Master Harry." Harry nodded, unable to reply due to the mouthful of eggs that he had.
As he rose from his chair, his breakfast being done, he heard the familiar sound of people apparating in with a pop. His eyes flicked to the living room, where Remus and Sirius stood, dressed in fine silk robes—since Remus had been working at Hogwarts for the past nine years, he had a steady income, and could afford decent clothes—smiling happily at him. "Today's the big day," Sirius chuckled, slapping Harry on the back. Sirius seemed to be a giddy schoolboy, looking even more excited than Harry was. He remembered James' wedding, it had been the time of his life, and couldn't wait to have the same experience at the wedding of his best friend's son's, his godson.
"Yeah, I got that." Harry grinned, returning the favor. His eyes ran over Sirius' outfit; he wore deep purple robes, almost a black color, with silver trim. He allowed his long, black hair to fall casually over his shoulders, straightened out using charms. Remus, on the other hand, was wearing royal blue robes, with blue trousers and a white shirt. He looked healthier than Harry had ever seen him—Sirius undoubtedly being the reason for that. Ever since his friend had been freed from Azkaban, Remus seemed healthier and happier than he had ever been. That wasn't to say he was unhappy before, but having a piece of your past that you thought was long gone come back into your life has lasting effects.
"When are you getting dressed?" Remus questioned, noticing Harry's lack of formality.
"I was just going now." Harry shrugged, turning his back and heading down the hall. "Plus," He called out. "It's still only noon, I have three hours." Sirius and Remus smiled, taking a seat on the couch, as they waited for Harry to get ready.
Harry turned on the faucet to the shower, and ducked under the hot water that sprayed on his back. He allowed it to rush over him, relieving him of his nervous tension that had sprouted over the morning. It wasn't cold feet; he knew that because he wanted to marry Nymphadora. It was just nerves that the never-ending question of 'Will he be a good husband?' brought about. He ran a lathered up hand through his wet hair, cleaning it and making it smell like strawberries. A few minutes later, he stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his body. He glanced at the clock, noticing that he had actually spent a little under a half an hour in the shower: it felt more like five minutes to him.
The wizard ran his wand through his dark, black hair, drying it off and straightening it out using the same charms Sirius had used on his own. Sirius hair was longer than his, going past his shoulders—Harry's just made it to his shoulders—but Harry's was naturally unruly, where as Sirius' was straight. Eventually it was dry and straight enough to be pulled back into a loose ponytail, and fastened with a hunter green tie that would match his top robe.
He tossed on a black pair of trousers that were akin to muggle tuxedo pants; it even had the strip of silk braiding down the side, as well. Then he buttoned up a white dress shirt that had a pleated front, and tucked it into the pants, making sure it was even all around. He wrapped a green cummerbund around his waist, making sure it was flat and wrinkle free. He tied his green bowtie around his neck, using the full mirror that was in the corner of his room to make sure it was straight. He then reached into his jewelry box and pulled out the ring Tonks had given him, and the pocket watch the Tonks' had gifted to him just the day before. He slipped the ring onto his right ring finger, and then fastened the pocket watch to his belt loop, making sure it was visible for all to see.
He looked down at the last remaining article of clothing that he had laid on his bed. Reaching down to pick it up, he put on his single breasted, green frock coat, which had silver trim, and black fastenings. Green was a color that had always made him look best; it brought out his eyes, and showed just how green they were. If he could change Ravenclaw's colors, he'd switch them for Slytherin's since, in his opinion, green, silver were a lot better than blue and bronze. He kept his jacket open, liking how it looked to him as he stared at himself in the mirror. Smiling, he turned and walked out of the room, whistling an easy tune all the while.
"About time!" Remus chuckled, rising to his feet from his seat on the couch. "It only took you an hour; geeze, you're worst than a woman…and Sirius." He muttered, flicking his eyes over to his friend who just grimaced in response.
"Better not say that in front of Tonks." Harry grinned, playing with his ring, almost nervously. "How long did it take you to get ready, anyway?" He asked Sirius.
"About as long as it took you." Sirius shrugged. "You look good, kid. But what is with your obsession with green?" He laughed, noticing over the past weeks that the man wore green almost all of the time. Whether it was muggle clothes, or wizarding wear, they always had a tinge of green in them.
"Shall we?" Harry said, ignoring Sirius' crack about his clothes.
"Harry, listen," Sirius said, slowly, his face losing the smile that was just there. "I know this is your day, but there's something I want to say. I'm so proud of you. You kept me alive while I was in Azkaban. You gave me thoughts that the Dementors couldn't possibly take away from me; they were too happy, too good. Every time the Dementors would suck them up, they would come back an hour later. Sure, I was driven mad with hate for Pettigrew, but you kept me from the brink. And…I just wanted you to know that."
"It means a lot that you were able to be here, Sirius." Harry replied, giving his godfather a sad smile. "I guess…I guess it was fate that you got out just a month before my marriage. I'm happy that I got to know you these last few weeks, and now I know why you were my father's best friend." They both reached in and gave each other a hug, happy that they had gotten to meet. Harry was starting to consider Sirius the father figure that he had lacked in his life: Dumbledore was a grandfather to him, Remus was an uncle, and Ted was someone he could count on, but he didn't have a father-like man in his life until Sirius came.
The trio apparated out to the manor a few minutes later, appearing on the well-beaten dirt path. Harry's green robe flailed in the springtime breeze as he entered his estate, heading towards the area where the ceremony would be. The altar was positioned so the spectators would see the coastline and the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop. As he neared, he saw three figures sitting in three of the white chairs in the back, laughing about something. They, of course, were Viktor, Cedric, and Roger; who were each decked out in silk robes of the finest make. They were more expensive than Remus' and Sirius', making the jaws of the pair drop. They both sighed, knowing that this was just the tip of the iceberg in a day filled with wizards trying to outdo the other.
The guests began to arrive in the living room, through either a portkey—which all invitations were—or through the floo network. Viktor and Roger stood outside the doors, ushering everyone to the back yard, where Remus and Sirius guided them to their seats. Harry walked around the chairs, greeting everyone as they sat down; some he knew well, some he didn't, but it was only polite. The guests were dressed for the event; each wearing the finest robes money could buy. There were reds, blues, greens, blacks, pinks, and purples; all the colors of the spectrum were represented.
"Theo! Daphne!" Harry grinned, waving to his friends as he headed over to them. They were both elegantly dressed in robes, rich in color, and emblazoned in golden trim. "Glad you could make it."
Theo laughed, wrapping his arm around his wife, lovingly. "Daphne heard about our exploits at your bachelor party; she was in fits for an hour." He said, giving Harry a lopsided grin, which seemed to make his scrunched, rabbit-like face handsomer. He was tall and weedy, having much less mass than Harry did, being less stout.
Harry cocked an eyebrow at the woman. "Is that so? Well, I heard about your activities at Tonks' party, as well. Shall I tell Theo them, hm Daph?" He asked, playfully.
Daphne rolled her eyes, hitting Harry on the arm. She had a small, flat nose, hazel eyes, brown hair, and a face decked out with a few freckles. She was lean and short, being just barely up to Theo's shoulder, who was a few inches shorter than Harry. "You look great, by the way." She said, nodding in acceptance.
"Thanks." Harry replied, giving the woman a kiss on the cheek. "I should be going, though. I'll come by after the ceremony." He turned and headed to a group of Ministry employees that were standing behind the chairs. "Minister Bones, glad you could make it." Harry said politely, as he shook her hand.
"Mr. Potter," Minister Bones nodded, a small smile on her usually stoic and professional features. She was a broad, square-jawed witch, with very short gray hair, thick eyebrows and a monocle. "This is the biggest event in the British wizarding community for this month, I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"It's an honor, Madam Bones." Harry nodded, showing her to a seat, and then headed over to where he saw the Weasley twins were. "Fred, George." He said, nodding to each respectively. Then turned his attention to their dates, who had sweet smiles on their faces. "Angelina, Katie, it's great to see you."
Dumbledore and McGonagall came strolling out of the manor, each wearing a small smile. Dumbledore had on purple robes, with planets and shooting stars on them, while McGonagall wore red tartan robes with a wreath of thistles around the brim of her hat. "Potter," McGonagall nodded, when Harry came up to her. "Herald gives his best wishes, but he can't attend, as you know."
"Yeah," Harry nodded, saddened that McGonagall's nephew, Herald McGonagall, a powerful wizard, couldn't come due to business he had. The pair had corresponded while Harry was in his later years of Hogwarts, and had finally met when Harry traveled before his seventh year; Herald had been twice the wizard Harry expected. Harry waved to them, and left, going over to another group of friends.
"Wayne, Lilyre." Harry greeted, shaking his friend's hands. "About time you guys showed up, a little late, don't you think?" He joked, looking at the timepiece that the Tonks' had given him. Their dates were two girls that had been in Hufflepuff a year younger than Harry; they were pretty and slender, and both hailed from a pureblooded family named Spungen, cousins of one another.
"You know us Hufflepuffs," Lilyre smiled, gesturing to the group. "We'll always come, we just would rather come as a group, so we have to wait for the girls to get ready." That earned him a playful slap in the stomach from his date.
"Mr. Potter." A voice said, as a finger tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry turned around, wondering whom it was. His green eyes met the amber ones of Barty Crouch: he looked gaunt, pale, and sweaty. His appearance was a far cry from his usually neat exterior. "Congratulations."
Harry cocked an eyebrow at his state, but didn't say anything, knowing that Barty Crouch prided himself on his presentation—that, or with the euphoria the day gave him, he failed to really notice it. "Mr. Crouch, thank you for coming." Crouch gave a small, tired smile, and walked away, heading over to a group of Ministry officials that were talking off to the side, near the chairs. Barty Crouch had helped Harry out of a predicament a few years back, when the younger wizard was traveling around the world, and the two had had a professional relationship ever since, even with Harry knowing what the man had done to Sirius twenty years ago.
Moving on, Harry greeted the rest of his guests, and before he knew it, he was standing on the altar, waiting for Tonks and Ted to appear. Music was playing in the background, though the band was unseen, and the songs carried from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Then, suddenly, as if on cue, the music changed, as Ted and Nymphadora stepped onto the long, purple carpet. The carpet, which ran from behind the chairs all the way up to the gazebo-like altar, was made of a purple felt and laden with white rose petals.
Harry's breath hitched in his throat as Tonks came into view. With her long brown hair done up in long, loose curls, and her tiara set on her head, she was a sight to be seen. She had on her floaty, silky white robes that hung off her shoulders elegantly; revealing tanned and toned shoulders and unblemished skin. Her cheeks were pink, and were touched up with makeup, as if done by a muggle. He gave her a small smile as they made eye contact, which grew into a large grin as she began to walk down the aisle with her father. Soon enough, she was just a few steps away from him, as she stepped up onto the raised platform, gazing at no one but Harry. Her father gave Harry a smile before walking over to his place in the front row next to his wife.
The ceremony would only last around a half an hour, as the warlock who over saw it, Declan Tennyson, only read from ancient manuscripts and tales of old. So there they stood, looking into each other's eyes as Declan continued to speak, inching through the ceremony at a slow pace. Other than Declan's voice, the only thing that could be heard was the waves crashing on the rocks in the distance, as if the ocean was a great beast in a deep slumber. The setting, being outside of their house, near a beach, and with the sun shinning high above, couldn't be any better. Finally, the vows came, and the pair said their peace with such conviction and truth that their love, which they both promised was eternal, was almost palpable.
"Here before witnesses, Nymphadora and Harry have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows." Declan Tennyson recited, flicking his wand and conjuring a rope that wrapped itself loosely around the couple's entwined hands. "Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so let it be." He finished off, smiling at the pair. "You may, as muggles say, kiss the bride." Harry grinned and leaned in, kissing Tonks tenderly and lovingly. The euphoria of kissing her as her husband for the first time was something that Harry had not expected, so after pulling away, he still had his eyes closed as the attendants began to clap in congratulations. The golden balloons that were scattered about the area bursted, releasing confetti and snow-white doves that flew high into the sky, disappearing into the orange-gold disk that was the sun.
"Shall we, Mrs. Potter?" Harry said, holding out his hand for Tonks to take. He looked down at her with his green eyes showing nothing but love. His beautiful green eyes, so much alike his mother Lily's, were alight with the flames of passion.
"Let's, Mr. Potter." Tonks replied, wrapping her arm around Harry's, and taking off down the carpet-laden pathway, slowly. They smiled and said their thanks as the people they passed whispered words of encouragement and congratulations. They headed out of the rows of chairs, and to the side of the house, where pictures would be taken.
"If you could all just head to the back, there are drinks and other small food items ready for your enjoyment. Dinner will be ready in just a little while." Cedric said, making his voice loud with magic. "Oh, and you can walk through the house, Roger and Viktor will direct the way." He added, putting his wand up to his throat and quieting himself. The wizard smiled as the attendants began to file out to the back, where the reception was being held.