Harry followed the voices trying to figure out who each voice belonged to despite how difficult it was.
To Harry's surprise in the kitchen with Sirius he saw Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Remus.
"Harry, we didn't wake you, did we?"
"No."
"Remus just happened to stop by. I knew your friends would be coming, I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise."
After Harry had breakfast they all went into the living room.
"Would all of you like to open your presents now or at Christmas?"
"Now." All five said.
"I'll be right back." Harry ran up the stairs and retrieved the gifts he bought for his friends.
"Very funny." Said the twins with a smile that had a hint of laughter.
"I thought that the two of would like that."
"Thanks Harry, but really you shouldn't have spent so much money." Said Ron.
"Ignore him Harry." Ginny said as she opened her presents from Harry and squealed in delight.
"Thanks Harry, now I have something decent to ware at games."
Harry started with the Weasley's gift first. He knew it was going to be a knitted sweater. To his surprise there were two sweaters and a scarf. From Hermione he received replacement and updated items for his broom servicing kit.
Remus left just before lunch to give Harry the time with Sirius and his friends. He knew there would be times that he could spend with Harry.
"So how long are the rest of you staying?"
"I leave tomorrow afternoon. I wish that I could stay longer but my parents want me home by then." Hermione answered.
"Mum wants us back sometime tomorrow."
Sirius transformed the living room to accommodate five people. Since the rooms that were not being used had not been cleaned properly before hand, he felt that the living room would be perfect for Harry and his friends while they were there. Once Sirius had transformed the living room he went up to bed.
Harry and his friends stayed up pretty late talking, laughing and consuming almost all the sweets. Fred and George told Harry about how they wanted to open a joke shop someday. Ginny and Ron were arguing about witch Quidditch team was better, the Chudley Cannon's or the Holyhead Harpies. Hermione just listened to the chatter; she had made comments to Fred and George about the joke shop. When all the boys and Ginny started to talk about Quidditch and nothing else, Hermione picked which bed she wanted and climbed in. She fell asleep listening to them talk about Quidditch.
Two hours later three of them were still awake and one trying desperately to stay awake. Harry noticed that Ginny was doing her best to stay awake with them.
"Hey, it's late we should get some sleep. I know that there isn't much to do around here plus Hermione leaves tomorrow afternoon. I would like to spend as much time with my friends as I can before school resumes."
With that they all found a bed and climbed in, Ginny chose a bed next to Harry. Ron quickly grabbed the bed on the other side of Harry. Harry smiled to himself as he shook his head side to side. No sooner had they climbed into their beds and the light was extinguished Ron started snoring, which made Harry laugh.
The next morning Sirius was the first to rise. He smiled when he saw everyone still asleep in the living room. Quietly he walked into the kitchen and called for Kreacher and requested that he make breakfast for everyone.
Hermione woke up to mouth-watering aromas. She got out of bed, stretched and walked into the kitchen. Shortly after Hermione entered the kitchen Ron, Fred, George and Ginny walked in.
Harry sat straight up in bed and looked around. All he could remember from his dream was a dog, a stag and a rat. Harry knew what he had to ask Sirius, but it would have to wait until his friends left. He put on his glass and quickly got out of bed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast.
The rest of the morning they talked more about Quidditch, laughed about things from school and of course Fred and George messing with their joke items they got from Harry. Ron and Harry played a game of Wizard's chess.
"Sorry to interrupt but it's time for me to take Hermione to King's Cross Station as that is where I am to meet her parents."
Hermione grabbed all her stuff.
"I wish I could stay longer. I'll see you all back at school." She gave everyone a hug, including Ron and left with Sirius.
They had just stated to talk about the joke shop Fred and George wanted to open when they heard a crackling noise. They all looked over at the fireplace and sticking out of it was only the head of Mr. Weasley.
"Boys and Ginny your mum wants you to come home."
"She said that we had to leave some time today."
"Well Fred she wants you home now. Sorry. Happy Christmas Harry."
"Happy Christmas Mr. Weasley. Thank you for the presents."
"I will be sure to pass it on."
Fred and Ron left first, then George and Ginny. Harry really didn't want to see them go, but he did want to talk to Sirius as soon as he could.
As Kreacher was doing his best to tidy up the living room he was rambling, Harry only caught, 'if my mistress only knew', 'Mudblood', 'filth'. Harry knew what the parts were he hadn't heard just then. He did not want to be hearing Kreacher's rambling.
"Move on Kreacher. You're not needed in here."
To Harry's surprise, Kreacher obeyed. Harry did not miss that it was reluctantly.
Sirius returned not much longer after leaving with Hermione.
"Where are the Weasley's?"
"They had to go home."
"Sorry the visit was so short. Maybe this summer they can stay for a while."
"Maybe. Sirius there is something that I want to ask you."
"Ask away Harry."
"How do you find out what your animagus form is? I'm just curious."
"Meditation and a lot of it. You have to be completely relaxed, your breathing very steady, heart rate normal and keep your mind clear. Once you see the shape of the form you may take you have to concentrate on the shape. Not every one finds out his or her animagus form could be. It does take time. Practice meditation and be patient."
"Thank you for answering my question. Most wouldn't tell me just because I am so young and they think I am not old enough."
"Well, I am your Godfather and guardian. I have the right to tell you anything I want and to answer any and all questions you may have. After what you told me, I know you can handle anything."
Harry smiled, closed his eyes, relaxed, kept his breathing steady, heart rate was normal and his mind clear of everything. He stayed this way for several hours until Sirius interrupted his meditation to have lunch.
After lunch Harry went to his room and tried meditating there. It had been several hours and still nothing. Harry was not discouraged in least bit. He took a few deep breaths and heard faint voices and the shattering sound of something breaking. His eyes flew open and he went to see what had happened and who had been talking. In the hall he only saw Kreacher and what looked like a vase of some sort had broken. He knew there was no way that it had been Kreacher he had heard speaking. Though the voices were not clear Harry knew it was not Kreacher. Harry returned to his meditation and again he heard voices that seemed familiar but older. He ran down the stairs to talk to Sirius.
"Harry, you already found out what you animagus form is?" Sirius said extremely shocked.
"No."
"Are you all right?"
"Not quite sure. I was meditating and suddenly heard voices and something shattering. I went back to meditating and heard the voices again. Though the voices were not clear they were familiar."
"Interesting."
"Would it be wrong if I tried to focus on the voices?"
"Let me put it this way, if it were me I would want to know and do what I could to find out." Sirius said while smiling.
Harry smiled and sat down on the couch closed his eyes and concentrated on the voices. Instead of hearing voices he heard screams of shock, gasps of fear and several footsteps rushing closer. Harry eyes flew open and he told Sirius what he had heard that time. They talked about it a little and then had dinner.
After dinner they attacked more of the house together. Sirius taught Harry how to do certain cleaning spells. They accomplished quite a bit that evening together, now half the house was sparkling clean. They had not been all that quiet, the portrait tried to scream several times. No sound came out as the silencing charm Harry had cast on the portrait was still working.
Harry and Sirius were exhausted from all the cleaning even though it had been done magically. Sirius headed to his room and went to bed. Harry climbed into bed and laid there for a while, sleep did not come. He decided to try meditating again. All he heard was the screams, gasps and footsteps rushing closer. He was too tired to focus and lost the sounds as he fell asleep.
Harry woke Christmas morning wishing he had something to open today. He really wanted to meditate again to find out what he was hearing, but he was really hungry. He put on his glasses and went down the stairs to the kitchen and ate whatever he could get his hands on.
"Did you sleep well?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah. I know this is the first time we have been able to spend time together and talk. I just need to find out what I am hearing. So far it's just been screams of shock, gasps of fear and footsteps rushing closer. Would you mind if I went back up to my room and meditate more?"
"You go ahead. Don't worry about me. We have a lot of time to do things together that doesn't involve cleaning. You'll be here for the summer so it's fine with me. To be honest right now I am just happy and marveling in the fact that you are here, that you want to be here."
Harry smiled, hugged Sirius and went back up stairs to find Kreacher standing in the middle of his room muttering, "Filthy half-blood friend to Mudbloods and blood traitors alike, soiling the honorable House of Black."
"KREACHER! I don't want to hear you talk like that about my friends or me and get out of my room. NOW! And stay out of my room and away from my room!"
Again, Kreacher obeyed Harry and left the room as quickly as he could.
"Harry is everything okay?"
"Yes. I was just yelling at Kreacher to get out of room."
"I see that he listened."
"It's the second time that he listened to me. Why is that? Did you tell him that he had to obey what I tell him?"
"No I didn't. I am not sure why he is obeying you. As odd as it is, is it not a good thing?"
"It's definitely a good thing. I was just curious."
"Okay, if Kreacher gives you any trouble just let me know."
"Okay." Harry said even though he was not sure if he would.
Sirius left Harry to his room. Harry closed the door so that he could have privacy and the least amount of noise that could distract him. Harry tried to meditate in a sitting position; just as he was starting to hear possibly some thing new his legs started to cramp up and lost his concentration. He went back to lying on his back and meditating.
The next three days were the same. Harry wanted to know what else went with the screams, gasps and rushing footsteps, he knew he had to find a way to keep his mind free of everything and as the sounds are heard, concentrate and focus on the sounds.
After lunch Harry decided to give another. If nothing else happened he was going to give it a rest for a day or two. Harry stretched out on his bed and closed his eyes. He began to drift off when he could clearly hear the screams, gasps and the footsteps rushing over.
"Get out of the way! Give me some room. He needs to be taken to Madam Pomfrey."
Harry sat straight up recognizing the voice as Professor McGonagall's. He leaned back against his pillows and breathed wondering why every time some thing new his eyes would fly open and sit straight up on his bed.
After lunch Harry tried again and focused with everything he had in him.
"Get out of the way! Give me some room. He needs to be taken to Madam Pomfrey." McGonagall said
"He should be taken to St. Mungo's." Poppy stated
"No!" Several voices screamed in response.
Harry lost his concentration, expecting to find that Kreacher had not listened after all he opened his eyes to yell but he saw Errol on his back on the floor with a note in his beak. He sat up and took the note and read,
Harry,
I am hoping that you will come and visit here at the Burrow before school resumes. Hermione will be here on the 1st of January. I hope to see you as well.
Ron
Harry quickly wrote his response that he'll be there and sent Errol off with it. He got off his bed and went to find Sirius. Harry found Sirius in the kitchen and took a seat across from him.
"I can hear voices clearer. Just McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, I think that someone is seriously hurt or worse. Pomfrey was talking about sending someone to St. Mungo's. Every time there is something new I open my eyes and everything is out of sync, my breathing and heart rate. It's just so frustrating. How am I supposed to stay relaxed and keep concentrating and stay focused?"
"There is something that one can take that will have him or her relaxed, it's a sedative and it is called belladonna."
"Would you mind giving me some of it?"
"I know why you want it, I just don't know about giving it to you. Let's wait and see what happens. To be honest I am not sure if I have any here."
"All right. I just keep trying on my own. Thank you anyway."
"I'll tell you what, I will look and see there is any here. That does not mean that I am considering giving you any."
"Okay." Harry said as he headed back up to his room.
Harry got comfortable on his bed and did his best to relax, though he was supposed to keep his mind clear he kept replaying everything that he had heard in his mind.
People were screaming in shock, gasping in fear and several footsteps were rushing closer.
"Get out of the way! Give me some room. He needs to be taken to Madam Pomfrey." McGonagall said
"He should be taken to St. Mungo's." Poppy stated
"No!" Several voices screamed in response.
Chairs screeched and more people were talking one at a time.
"Harry, an you hear me? It's Hermione. Ron's here as well as George, Ginny and everyone left from the D.A."
Harry sat up quickly as he sucked in a breath. He got up and ran down the stairs.
"Sirius, it's about me! I don't understand or know how or what. I just know that it's me. I heard Hermione talking to me. I know I was the one she was taking to because she said me name."
"Harry, calm down. Tell me what you heard."
Harry calmed down as much as he could and slowly told Sirius what he had heard.
"Come with me."
Sirius led the way into the kitchen, opened a cupboard and pulled out a small dark colored bottle.
"I know what I said before about not knowing if I wanted to give some, well that has changed. You look confused and frightened. I know you will try to get back to it but it won't happen you mind is running like mad. I am only going to give you a small amount."
"Okay."
Harry's breathing was really quick; his heart was pounding hard and fast. He accepted the small amount of the belladonna.
"Harry I must insist that you stay down here. I will keep a close eye on you. If I think anything is wrong I will call for someone. I don't care if I get into trouble for giving you the belladonna."
Harry did not argue with Sirius. He willingly went to the couch and stretched out. He could feel his breathing become regular and steady, his heart beat normally and he felt like he was on his broom, hovering. Harry closed his eyes. He again heard Hermione's voice and what she had said but then he heard Ginny's voice,
"Harry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I shouldn't have been mad at you. Please wake up. I need you. I can't go through this alone."
"Harry, you're my best mate but if you don't wake up and open your eyes right now and make my sister stop crying I'm gonna kill ya."
Sirius heard Harry suck in a breath; he looked closely at Harry and could see tears starting to fall down his face.
"I lost Fred, I can't lose you too." George said crying.
"I learned so much from you. I believe in myself and you have to see that." Neville said.
Harry had heard several more voices just before the belladonna wore off. Harry opened his eyes and wiped away the tears that had escaped.
"Harry are you all right?"
"I just heard a bunch of people pleading with me to wake up. Hermione, Ginny, George, Neville and several others."
"Harry, I am calling for Dumbledore to come. Object all you want but I am summoning Dumbledore."
"No objection here."
Sirius walked over to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black.
"Phineas. This is very important. I must speak with Albus Dumbledore immediately."
"It is the holiday's he won't be there at the school."
"Just try any way. He might be there. This is important."
"Humph" and Phineas left his portrait.
A moment later Phineas returned to his portrait.
"Dumbledore will arrive shortly."
"Thank you Phineas."
A few minutes later Dumbledore was stepping out of the fireplace.
"Sirius what's wrong?"
Sirius looked over at Harry, who looked very pale and confused.
"Harry, are you all right?"
"I don't know sir. Something strange happened."
"I take it this is something you have not experienced at any point in your life."
"No I have not. The hearing voices, that's happened but not like this, the voices are friends, schoolmates, teachers and the school nurse but older. They were worried about me and pleading with me to wake up and the nurse wanted me transferred to St. Mungo's. I was not dreaming I was awake and meditating. The intention was just to find out what my animagus form was, not to eventually transform but just to know what form I might take."
Dumbledore sat on the couch next to Harry; he was just as confused as Harry and Sirius.
"Do you think that some how I tapped into to the future how I know it to be? Nothing seemed to have changed though. Could it be that I haven't changed enough? Or could it be that I am tapping into what happened after the explosion? But that doesn't make sense. How could I be here and there?"
"Harry, I think you might be on to something. I believe that you may have tapped into the future you know. I think that it could possibly be that it is after the explosion. It is confusing and does not make sense but I think it is possible. All we know is that you ended up back in time with all the knowledge you have. We don't know what happened to your future self. Unfortunately we may never know."
"Harry, are you hungry?" Sirius asked
"Not really, but I'll eat something any way."
"Professor would you like to stay for dinner?"
"Thank you, I would."
Sirius brought the food out to the living room so that Harry did not have to move or eat alone. Harry mostly picked at his food he ate very little.
"Thank you for dinner. Harry I will see on the 4th of January."
"I'll be there."
"Good night." Dumbledore said as he disapparated.
Harry got up off the couch and headed up to his room. Sirius shortly followed behind Harry.
In the morning Sirius suggested to Harry that he go to the Burrow early and spend time with his friends, try and take his mind off things. Harry agreed and packed a bag to take with him. Sirius notified the Weasley's that Harry would be arriving shortly.
Harry ran back down the stairs with his bag over his shoulder and into the living room.
"Sirius, thank you for letting me go now. Ron sent a letter asking me to visit on the first of January."
"You take care of yourself now. Have fun."
Harry stepped into the fireplace as Sirius put a handful of floo power in his hand. Harry threw the powder down as he said 'The Burrow'.
As Harry fell out of the fireplace at the Burrow he vaguely saw someone near by and reached out to grab the person so he did not fall on his face. This did not work as Harry's face still hit the floor. Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Bill and Charlie all started laughing hysterically, Mrs. Weasley trying not to laugh walked over as Percy screamed. When Harry fell out of the fireplace he had grabbed hold of Percy's pants and as he went to the floor the pants went with Harry.
Harry did not dare look up as he realized the pants came down as he fell to the floor. Once he realized that it had been Percy, he could help but laugh, though not quite as hysterically as the other's.
Percy quickly pulled his pants up and stomped up the stairs to his room and locked the door.
Mrs. Weasley helped Harry get on his feet.
"Thank you. I seem to always fall through. Could you please tell Percy that I am really sorry? I did not mean to do that to him."
"I am sure he knows you didn't do it on purpose, but I will tell him all the same."
"Harry why don't you put your bag up in my room?"
Harry went up the stairs with Ron not far behind.
"Harry that was bloody brilliant. I know you did not mean to do it but brilliant all the same. I have never seen Percy so embarrassed before. I could only imagine if that had happened at school."
"I guess it was pretty funny."
"No, it was brilliant and hilarious. Although, Percy is probably going to be horrible when we get back to school. So how have you been since I last saw you?"
"I've been better."
"What happened?"
"Something strange. I don't want to get into it right now. Sirius wanted me to visit now so that I could take my mind off of things for a while."
"You could wait until Hermione arrives on the first of January."
Harry only nodded. He had not intended to tell Ron much if anything at all, but he was going to have to tell him everything. Harry hoped that Ron would back off of him and Ginny.
"Hey Ron, why don't you send a letter to Hermione letting her know that I'm already here? Maybe she'll be able to come earlier."
"I think I will. Wait, aren't you supposed to be taking your mind off of things? With Hermione here won't you be doing the opposite?"
"I have to tell someone what happened after you all left. I am not sure if I'll be able to not think about what happened. It's confusing. Hurry up and write that letter to Hermione."
Ron quickly wrote a short note to Hermione and had Errol take it to Hermione.
Errol returned a few days later with Hermione's reply. Harry and Ron had just read the note when they heard Hermione's voice down stairs. They ran down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Just got your note a moment ago." Ron said breathlessly.
"Harry, you look…awful."
Harry gave a weak smile.
"Hermione, put your stuff in Ginny's room and meet us in mine."
Harry stayed back a while, to catch Hermione as she went to Ginny's room.
"Hermione, bring Ginny with you when you come up to Ron's room."
"Okay. Won't Ron have a shit fit though?"
"I don't care. Ginny knows as much as you and Ron. She should know what I have to say."
"See you in a bit."
Harry ran up the stairs to Ron's room and waited for the girls to show up.
"Why is…"
"Ron shut up. I want Ginny here too."
"Fine."
Hermione sat on Ron's bed next to him; Ginny took a seat on the cot. Harry paced the floor trying to figure out how to explain the voices.
"Harry, just tell us." Ron said slightly impatiently.
"All right. After all of you left Sirius's I asked him about how one would find out what his or her animagus form would be. He said that takes time, you have to be patient, not everyone has an animagus form and that you have to meditate. So I did, I was just curious, but I never saw what my animagus form could be. I heard voices instead."
"Whose voices?" Ginny asked.
"Yours, Ron's, Hermione's, George's, McGonagall's, Pomfrey's and several others but older, not how you all sound now. It started out with only hearing screams of shock, gasps of fear and several footsteps rushing closer. Then McGonagall telling people to get out of the way, to give her some room and saying that someone needed to be taken to Pomfrey. Pomfrey saying that the person should be transferred to St. Mungo's, more than one voice screaming 'no' in response. It was when I heard Hermione's voice that I realized it was me that had been taken to Pomfrey. All of you as different times in your own way tried to get me to wake up, weather it be mildly pleading, demanding or requesting."
"What did we say exactly?" Asked Ginny.
"Well Hermione said, 'Harry, can you hear me? It's Hermione. Ron's here as well as George, Ginny and everyone left from the D.A.'; Ginny you said, 'Harry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I shouldn't have been mad at you. Please wake up. I need you. I can't go through this alone.'; Ron you said, 'Harry, you're my best mate but if you don't wake up and open your eyes right now and make my sister stop crying I'm gonna kill ya.'; and George said, while crying mind you, 'I lost Fred, I can't lose you too.'"
"But…."
"But nothing. Like I said I was meditating to find out what my animagus form might be and instead I heard the voices. I told Sirius and he summoned Dumbledore to the house. Dumbledore believes me and thinks that I may have some how channeled the future I left. Yes it's confusing and impossible to be in two places at the same time." Harry said cutting off Hermione.
No one said anything after that. They did no want Harry to think that they didn't believe him, they did but it was hard to make sense of it all and part of it seemed impossible.
