Blessed Chapter 4: The Stranger

Disclaimer: I own nothing expect the original plot of this story. I do not own Harry Potter or Final Fantasy 13-2

3rd Person P.O.V

"Could I have all the heads of houses come here for a moment?" requested Albus Dumbledore as he began to bring some order to the chaos that had befallen Hogwarts. Within a few moments Professors Snape, McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick had forced their way through the circle of people surrounding the Headmaster and stood before him giving the wizard their full attention.

"We need to inform the students of the guest that will now be staying with us at Hogwarts." Dumbledore continued, motioning towards Hope who now stood beside Harry. The white-haired young man shot a questioning look at his elder; how was he going to possibly explain his presence at the school without causing some sort of riot. Hope knew that it wouldn't be the truth; he had enough experience with the world to know that the truth wasn't necessarily the best explanation.

"What do you want us to say?" Professor Flitwick questioned. Hope was admittedly quite surprised at first at the man's height but didn't dwell on it. After all, he supposed a lot of the things in his world would seem strange to these people. Besides it would be impolite to pry and now that Hope could feel the grips of the truth serum let go of his speech he could finally refrain from commenting.

"As most of the children saw the gate but not Mr. Estheim, we can tell them that I called Hope in order to investigate the gate, as an expert in the field who has had previous experiences with the devices. He will stay with us to monitor and observe the device." Dumbledore fabricated quickly with a sigh. Hope had to admit the story was plausible and he wouldn't have any trouble of playing the part of a researcher, because he was one in actuality.

"Wouldn't we have to still have to deal with the fact that this gate has appeared with no explanation?" Professor McGonagall asked as he raised a skeptical eyebrow at the Headmaster.

"Worse things have happened at Hogwarts and we were able to survive. Its better that they question the gate then realize that Caius is coming. If the students ever figure out what's really happening; there will be mass panic, they'll take Mr. Estheim away, and we'll be left defenseless." Dumbledore rambled mostly to himself as if convincing himself he was doing the right thing. The professors all nodded in agreement; well all except one.

"What do you suppose we do when this Caius bloke shows up then?" Umbridge snapped bitterly. Harry was about to open his mouth to say something when the Headmaster started to speak once again.

"That's a discussion for another time. For now we must inform the students of out guest's presence and let them out of their common rooms. Everyone is dismissed." Dumbledore ordered. Slowly the teachers began to shuffle their way out of the Great Hall and towards their next destination until the grand room was scarcely occupied. The only people lingering behind were the Headmaster himself, Harry and Hope.

"Hope?" Harry began as turned towards the white-haired adult.

"I suppose you'd like some of those answers now." Hope laughed as if he could read Harry's thoughts. "Ask away."

"I'm sorry to interrupt but I'm afraid Harry will have to wait just a little bit longer for his answers. I need to speak with you privately Mr. Estheim." Dumbledore requested. There were answers Dumbledore still needed; answers that couldn't wait.

"But Professor-" Harry objected.

"Harry shouldn't you be going to see your friends anyway?" The Headmaster reminded his student. "They didn't look so pleased with you last I saw them."

Harry knew that he should go explain his situation to his friends. They had felt betrayed when he had spoken out for Hope at his interrogation and they had every right to be mad at him. Harry hadn't told them a thing about his dream. After all he didn't think that anything would come from it. Although Harry could justify his actions to himself over and over again he couldn't stop the aching feeling of guilt and regret that crawled into his gut and overwhelmed his immediate curiosity.

"You're right," Harry sighed. "I should go talk to them before any of this gets even more out of hand."

"Good." Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Off you go then."

"I'll come find you in the morning, Ok Harry?" Hope suggested.

"Sure, see you in the morning then." Harry agreed as he turned and made his way to the large double doors of the Great Hall. Although Harry had managed to suppress his thirst for answers on his new abilities and of Hope's world, one question still nagged at the back of Harry's mind as he began to make the trek up the Moving Staircase towards his common room, what was it that Dumbledore wanted to discuss with Hope?

~Scene Change~

By the time Harry finally managed to make it to the Gryffindor common room McGonagall had just finished her speech and passed him as she exited the room. He could feel the smug looks that his fellow Gryffindors were shooting his way almost as if they created their own weight. Nobody had to talk, as Harry knew the questions that were swimming through their minds: Why was he the only one out of the common room, what trouble had he managed to cause this time?

Harry spotted a cluster of ginger hair in the corner of the room so he began to struggle his ways through the crowd, apologizing as he went. Finally, when he had maneuvered his way to the back of room he noticed his friends; Hermione, Ron, Neville, Fred, George and Ginny.

"We need to talk." Harry stated dumbly finding himself at a loss for better words.

"You think?" Hermione scoffed as she crossed her arms.

"Did you tell them?" Harry asked as he gestured to Fred, George and Ginny.

"About the guy that appeared?" Ginny questioned in a hushed voice. "Yes."

"I guess were all in this together then. I know I screwed up but I really can't explain it here. Come with me and I'll explain everything, okay?" Harry pleaded.

"Fine, where should we go then?" Ron asked.

"Wherever no can hear us." Harry replied.

"Well we can't leave the Common Room because it's after hours." Hermione inputted when Harry gave her a bemused look she narrowed her eyes. "We can't all fit under your invisibility cloak."

"We can use our room." Fred and George suggested. "Our roommates will probably be out here talking for the next little bit so if we go now we should be able to get some privacy."

"Sure. Lead the way." Harry agreed.

The group remained quiet as Fred and George lead them up the stone staircase to the dormitories and down the boy's hallway to one of the last doors in the hallway. When they finally entered the room Harry wasn't surprised to see the clutter that had been accumulated by young men that occupied the room. Even though it was near the beginning of the year it looked as though the boys had been living here all their lives. Quidditch banners, socks and textbooks lay across the floor, bed sheets were clumped together at the foot of mattresses and Harry could smell the faint odor of dirty socks and sweets (which was no doubt thanks to Fred and George's business). Harry found the room homey and comforting but he felt that girls had quite a different opinion as their scrunched their noses to protect themselves from the stench.

"Ok what's been going on Harry?" Hermione asked as she sat down on one of the beds.

"That man that you saw appear in the Great Hall, the one they claimed to have invited here to study the device; his name is Hope Estheim. He's from another world." Harry began to explain even though he realized none of what he was saying was going to make any sense to the others.

"Another world?" Ron asked, his eyebrows rising. "You can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious. They made him drink vetriaserum and everything." Harry provided.

"They must have thought the situation was pretty serious then. It's not often that Dumbledore uses vetriaserum. The only time I've heard of him using it was against Barty Crouch Junior last year. They must have thought this guy was a pretty big threat." Fred remarked.

"Do you know what the guy wants?" George questioned

"Believe it or not he wants to help me. He believes that someone from his world is coming here to kill me." Harry replied.

"Another psycho is trying to kill you? What did you do to piss this one off?" Fred snorted sarcastically.

"Apparently, I'm some kind of time traveler. This guy, Caius wants me dead because this girl from the other world saw me in a vision." Harry sighed still uneasy about his knew found status.

"Harry there's no such thing as time travel." Hermione stated as her eyes widened with shock.

"That's what I thought as well….." Harry trailed off as he tried to muster up a way to explain his situation. "Look it'll make more sense if I explain it this way. I knew that Hope was coming to Hogwarts before he arrived, that's why I tried to stop Dumbledore. I had this dream and Hope asked me to lead him to my world. I did because I didn't really think much of it at the time and then the next day Hope appeared. That's can't be a coincidence."

"But how-?" Hermione breathed at a loss for words.

"Hope said it was because I was blessed by some goddess called Etro. She saved me when Voldemort tried to kill me when I was a baby. Apparently this gave me time travel powers." Harry offered with a shrug.

"So Hope is here to try to help you defend yourself against Caius?" Neville clarified finally entering the conversation.

"Yes." Harry replied simply. "He said he would find me in morning and answer any questions I might have."

"Good, because I think we need a lot of answers." Hermione added as she cradled her head in her hands.

~Scene Change~

Hope's footsteps echoed throughout the empty stone hallways of the school as he walked side-by-side with the elderly Headmaster. He would have thought that the echoing would have served to lessen the thick air of tension and silence surrounding the two of them but all it seemed to do was make things worse. Each step was thundering and as there was nothing else to focus on, Hope focused on the sound to the point where his own walking seemed to bother him. He needed desperately to break the silence. Thankfully, Dumbledore abruptly stopped in front of a stone statue. It was a perfect rendition of a majestic eagle spreading its wings almost as if it were making itself larger in order to fend off some evil.

"Sherbet lemon." Dumbledore called softly. To Hope's astonishment the eagle statue began to turn and lift higher and higher into the air until it was out of sight. Soon a full stone, spiraling staircase was revealed and took the statue's place.

"Up these stairs is my office. We can talk there." Dumbledore stated as he motioned for Hope to go first.

When Hope had finished his climb he briefly inspected the large office. To him, the room felt busy, compared to his office at the Academy. Hope's office was occupied by only the bare necessities; a desk, his computer and book shelf or two. Yet in this office, which Hope felt was also much larger than his, there was much to be explored. Hope felt as if he could search through the bookcases and chests of this room all day and still not have seen everything.

Hope briefly registered wooden floors and bookcases lining almost every wall as he was rushed along by Dumbledore to a chair where he was seated in front of the Headmaster's desk. When the elderly wizard was finally seated and looked approachable Hope started the conversation.

"So why did you want to talk to me privately? If you wanted to ask me something why not ask me while I was under the effects of the truth serum?" Hope asked finally getting to do some of his own questioning.

"For a number of reasons, I suppose." Dumbledore sighed as he sunk into his chair's upholstery back. "For one I find it hard to question you with certain staff members watching and criticizing my every move." He began to list off. He didn't have to mention that 'certain staff member's name. Hope knew to whom he was referring. "I also mentioned there was much that I have yet to learn about you. Honestly I feel that before I entrust this situation to you I must learn more about your qualifications. It's obvious to me that you've gone through quite a lot of trauma, Mr. Estheim; it's why you feel you have to protect this world. Normally I'd leave you alone with your troubles but I must know what you are capable of, I'm afraid."

Hope's muscles tensed; he had wished that this conversation would never come. "Well Professor-" Hope stopped, realizing that he never learned the Headmaster's name.

"Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore." The wizard provided.

"Yes then, Professor Dumbledore, you must realize that trust works two ways. Before I tell you anything else tell me why I should trust you." The young director demanded.

"You have quite a good point there." Dumbledore complimented with a slight smirk. "Well we both want the same thing right? We both want to save this world, but more importantly we also want what's best for Harry." Hope searched the old man's eyes for a moment and he saw no deception in their depths. Hope had thought he was a good judge of character; but after Alyssa had betrayed him he wasn't so sure anymore. But then something in the wizard's determined stare crumbled ever so slightly; there was just slightly touch of weakness, of desperation.

"I've been protecting Harry the best I can but, admittedly, I need some help. You're the only one who can protect Harry from Caius. Please, I have no choice but to put my trust in you so please let me know that I'm making the right decision. Please trust me."

"Where do you want me to start?" Hope asked with a sigh as he pushed back the nagging feeling he was making a mistake into a dark crevasse of his mind.

"From the beginning, I suppose." Dumbledore suggested. "From when things started to go wrong."

So Hope began to talk. He told Dumbledore of his world; of how the planets of Cocoon and Pulse were sworn enemies and how he was taught as a child that Pulse was a living hell. Despite the images it brought back of her, Hope told Dumbledore of the day him and his mother, Nora, went to Bodum to see the fireworks and how that had caught them up in the Purge that lead to his mother's death. Hope had expected the Headmaster to make some motion of pity or offer his condolences like most people did when they learned of his mother's death, but he made no such offering. Hope continued to talk what seemed to be endlessly. He briefly noticed that dark skies that were framed by the windows. He had been talking far into the night; although he didn't know how long.

At first Hope found it was rather hard to talk about his 'adventures'; how he had become a L'cie and learned to use magic, how he had sought revenge against Snow for causing his mother's death and later forgave him, and finally how eventually everyone rallied together to defeat Orphan. All six of them had made many mistakes and despite the fact that Hope barely knew Dumbledore he felt that he needed to explain his actions to the old man. They had done what they thought was right and in the end it didn't work out the way they had hoped.

Dumbledore didn't utter a single word until Hope reached the point of his story where his memory began to go hazy; when all of them had been blessed by Etro. He remembered Lightning joining Fang and Vanille in the crystal pillar but he knew that wasn't true; she was sent to Valhalla. Yet why did his memory try to tell him otherwise?

"Is there something wrong?" The Headmaster asked when Hope paused in his story.

"I don't exactly remember what happens next." Hope admitted aloud as he rubbed his temples. He felt a large headache coming on. "Something happened in our timeline that replaced everyone's memory. No one's completely sure of what happened. Serah has some idea but everyone's memory is still at least partially altered."

"Well, try going from the beginning and explain what happened with what you believe to be the truth, maybe it'll trigger something." The wise man suggested. "So you and the other L'cie defeated Orphan right? What happened next, or at least what do you believe really happened?"

"After we defeated Orphan the planet started to collapse. That part is definitely true. Then we were floating in the air…." Hope remembered. He could still faintly feel the air whipping around him as they had feel towards their dying world. "I grabbed hold of someone's hand and we all formed a ring; tried to stay together. We looked back and I remember seeing Lighting, Fang and Vanille transform into a crystal pillar that now suspends Cocoon…. But that can't be true. Lightning must have been with us."

"So what happened to the rest of you then; those in the ring?" Dumbledore prompted trying to get Hope past his memory blip.

"Well we landed on the surface of Pulse and since we had completed our duties as L'cie we turned to crystal." Hope explained.

"You said that once an L'cie completes their focus they go into a crystal sleep for hundreds of years, correct?" The headmaster recalled.

"Yes normally, but this is where Etro comes in." Hope tied in. "She saved use from our crystal sleep early."

"And Lightning?"

"We don't know. We know that she isn't in the pillar and that she somehow ended up in Valhalla we just don't know how." Hope sighed as fatigue suddenly took over. He was starting to have a hard time keeping his eyes open. How long had he been talking for?

"I see." Dumbledore mused. "Is that why you do the work you do? So you can find her?"

"She's part of the reason. There are many people I want to save; Lightning, Fang, Vanille, my mother….." Hope trailed off. "But they aren't the only reasons I do research. I want to help my planet. I want to create a world better than the one we had before. We don't need the fal'Cie to order to survive. I became a director at the Academy to show that we humans are completely capable of being self-sufficient, of doing things with our own bare hands and with our own minds."

"You know, for your age Mr. Estheim, you're quite impressive." The wizard complimented. "I can see that Harry will be in good hands with you." When the Headmaster spoke these works he was surprised to see just how much he believed them. Spending time with someone who had been through some of the same and some even harder challenges as him and thrived because of them would be good for Harry. Perhaps all the boy needed was a little hope.