CHAPTER SEVEN: AND SO THE VALKYRIE AND UNCLE MEET!

I awoke to feeling warm and safe, in a comfortable bed, which I immediately knew wasn't my bed in Gryffindor Tower. I could also tell by the scent of the room. Instead of having a slight unclean stench, it smelt of different herbs. Curious as to where I was, I opened my eyes and Grandfather's relieved and smiling face came into view.

'Good afternoon, sweet heart,' said Grandfather.

I stared at him blankly before I remembered: 'Grandfather! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Grandfather, quick –'

'Calm yourself, child, you are a little behind the times,' said Grandfather. 'Quirrell does not have the Stone.'

'Then who does? Grandfather, I –'

'Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey and your grandmother will be after my blood, for not letting you rest.'

I frowned and took in my surroundings. I was in an average size bedroom, so I knew that I wasn't in the hospital wing. The stone walls had green vines painted on them, making it look like it was the outside of a tower with real vines growing on it. There were also several pieces of furniture. At one side of the room was a huge cupboard; while on the wall next to it was a wooden desk with a matching chair. On the wall opposite the cupboard was the queen, size, four post bed I was currently laying in. It had a see through, light green canopied. Overall the room looked like it was made for a fairy tale princess. It was beautiful.

I then looked over at one of my bedside tables and saw that it was piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

'Tokens from your friends and admirers,' said Grandfather, beaming. 'What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam

Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it.'

I chuckled slightly. Fred and George always knew how to raise my spirits.

'How long have I been out?'

'Three days. Mr Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried.'

'But Grandfather, the Stone…'

'I see you are not to be distracted, just like your father and uncles. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take the Stone from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say.'

'You got there? You got Hermione's owl?'

No. The moment I reached London I realised that something was wrong and immediately returned to the place I had just left. Call it a Grandfather's instinct. By the time I got Severus and hurried down to the Stone, we found you hanging onto a screaming Professor Quirrell. Severus automatically pulled you away from him while I was left to deal with Professor Quirrell and Voldemort.'

'It was Uncle Severus.'

'We feared we might be too late.'

'You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer –'

'Not the Stone, child, you - the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, we were afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed.'

'Destroyed?' I said blankly. 'But your friend - Nicolas Flamel –'

'Oh, you know about Nicolas?' said Grandfather, sounding quite delighted. 'You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best.'

'But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?'

'They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order, but yes, they will die.'

Grandfather smiled at the look of amazement on my face.

'To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.'

I sat there lost for words, before saying, 'Grandfather, I've been thinking; even if the Stone's gone, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?'

'No, my dear, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share... not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time - and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power.'

I nodded, and said, 'Grandfather, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me... things I want to know the truth about...'

'The truth.' Grandfather sighed. 'It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie.'

'Well... Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?'

Grandfather sighed very deeply this time.

'Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know one day... put it from your mind for now. When you are older... I know you hate to hear this... when you are ready, you will know.'

And I knew it would be no good to argue. He did raise three boys after all.

'But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?'

'Lily died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realise that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.'

Grandfather now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave me time to dry my eyes on the sheet.

When I had found my voice again, I said, 'And there's something else...'

'Fire away.'

'Quirrell said Snape hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?'

'No, it's not,' said a quiet voice from the doorway, making me jump and then pale when I saw who it was. Snape was standing there.

'If you'd please excuse me, I've got to visit the men's room.' Grandfather said before leaving the room. I got the feeling that wasn't the real reason he was leaving.

Snape took his empty seat and I eyed him warily, but I was also curious as to what he had to say.

'When your father and I were at school, everyone believed that we detested each other, but it was not so.' Snape said after a few moments of silence. 'Father believed is to be safe if we took on different names and looks. Safe from Grindelwald and later, Voldemort. He thought it would also be best if we were school rivals. Even after school he wanted us to pretend that we hated each other. Something we both despised.'

'I don't understand. Are you saying that you are my father's twin, Severus?'

'I am.' Before my eyes, the bat of the Hogwarts' dungeons changed into a handsome young man. Gone was the greasy black haired curtains, which were replaced with black, soft, shoulder length hair that was lightly pulled back into a ponytail. His hooked nose also disappeared and changed into an ordinary one, and his sallow skin became healthy once more. His once cold, seemingly black eyes became hazel that greatly resembled Grandmother's.

I gasped. He was my Uncle Severus. I remembered him from the Mirror of Erised.

'I don't understand. You said that you and Father were only acting that you hated each other, right?'

'Yes.'

'Then why are you so mean to me?' I demanded, with angry tears in my eyes. My emotions were running wild. 'Is it because I survived and Father died?'

'Of course not!' Uncle Severus was horrified.

'Oh really? Then why are you so cruel to me?' I snapped, not believing what he said even for a second.

'Believe me when I say that I did not enjoy it. Father believed it best if I pretended to hate you because of James. 'Uncle Severus said sincerely.

'Why?'

'For your own safety.'

I stared at him suspiciously and he looked back at me calmly.

'So you don't blame me for Dad's death?' I asked. I needed him to confirm it.

'No. The Dark Lord, your father's supposedly best friend and I are the only ones to truly blame for James' death.' Uncle Severus looked away from me sadly with regret and guilt evident in his eyes.

'Wh – what?' I gasped. 'Why? How?'

'I was manipulated by the Dark Lord and I told him something that ultimately led to your parents' deaths and nearly yours.' He then stood abruptly. 'I've got to go and teach my class. Rest easy… Harry.'

He left the room. I sat there shocked, wondering if he was trying to make me hate him, wanting a punishment. I didn't even notice Grandfather enter the room.

'Are you all right, dear?' Grandfather asked me when he took the seat Uncle Severus had emptied moments before.

'Is it true that he is one of the people to blame for what happened the night my parents died?' I demanded.

'When you are older, you will understand why Severus was led astray, but know that when he found out that James, Lily and you were in danger, he immediately did everything in his power to protect you.' Grandfather said quietly. He knew how much pain James death caused his youngest son.

'If you say so.' I said quietly. Somehow I didn't think I'd have a good relationship with Uncle Severus. Already I was wishing that he wasn't my uncle. 'Grandfather, how did I get the Stone out of the mirror?'

'Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it - would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes.'

I laughed before coming serious once again.

'Grandfather, why haven't you and Snape – I mean, Uncle Severus – acted weirdly around me?'

'I don't understand what you mean.' Grandfather looked slightly baffled.

'Why aren't you saying anything about me being a girl? Why aren't you calling me weird or sending me to a hospital?'

'There's nothing strange or wrong with being a Valkyrie.'

'I'm a what?'

'A Valkyrie – didn't your Aunt Petunia tell you?'

'If it was in that letter you left on the doorstep with me, than no. She never told me anything that was in that letter.'

'I see. Do you know Valkyries are?'

'Yeah, blonde, blue-eyed warrior maidens who assisted Odin by choosing which newly slain warriors would enter Valhalla…' I recited from one of my old history lessons.

'You speak of Norse mythology.' Grandfather interrupted gently. 'There are many different classifications of Valkyries; however, the classification you fall under is a wizarding Valkyrie. A warrior maiden with the power to heal those she loves and the power to transform into a man. I'll give you a book on Valkyries so you have a better understanding.'

'Okay, but there's one more thing…'

'Just the one?'

Yes… where am I?'

Grandfather chuckled slightly.

'You are in your very own bedroom at Hogwarts, in Severus' personal quarters.'

'And Sn-Uncle Severus is alright with this arrangement?' I asked suspiciously.

'Of course. He loves you deeply. Now, I believe you should get some rest; otherwise we will have your grandmother and Madam Pomfrey cracking down on us.'

'Okay.'

-THE UNMASKED MYSTERY-

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict. She had me in bed resting up until the end of term feast and only let me go after constant begging and when Grandfather took my side. She was the only person at the school who knew the truth about our family since she needed to know if anything happened since she was the school nurse.

I made my way down to the end-of-year feast alone. I had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving me one last check-up, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colours of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When I walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. I slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at me.

Ron and Hermione were overjoyed to see me. Grandfather had spread the rumour that I was in the wizarding hospital, St Mungo's. We then started a very quiet conversation of what happened after the chess match.

It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumours. I told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when I told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. People quickly turned and looked at her.

'So the Stone's gone?' said Ron finally. 'Flamel's just going to die?'

'That's what I said, but Gr-Dumbledore thinks that - what was it? – "to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure".'

'I always said he was off his rocker,' said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy my hero was. He didn't notice the look I gave him for saying that Grandfather was off his rocker.

'So what happened to you two?' I said.

'Well, I got back all right,' said Hermione. 'I brought Ron round - that took a while - and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall - he already knew – he just said, "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" and hurtled off to the third floor.'

'D'you think he meant you to do it?' said Ron. 'Sending you your father's cloak and everything?'

'Well,' Hermione exploded, 'if he did - I mean to say that's terrible - you could have been killed.'

'No, it isn't,' I said thoughtfully. 'I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could...'

Grandfather arrived moments later. The babble died away.

'Another year gone!' Grandfather said cheerfully. 'And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...'

I noticed that Uncle Severus didn't look particularly happy in regards to that last statement. Neither did Grandmother, for that matter.

'Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points.' I hid my head slightly. It was partly my fault that we lost. In the last Quidditch match, Ravenclaw steamrolled the Gryffindor team since I wasn't there. 'In third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two.'

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. I could see Draco banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

'Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin,' said Grandfather. 'However, recent events must be taken into account.'

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

'Ahem,' said Grandfather. 'I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes... First - to Mr Ronald Weasley...' Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn. '...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.'

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, 'My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!'

At last there was silence again.

'Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the cool use of intellect when others were in grave help, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.'

Hermione buried her face in her arms; I strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves - they were a hundred points up.

'Third - to Mr Harry Potter...' said Grandfather. The room went deadly quiet. 'For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points.'

I gasped and looked over at Grandmother who looked a little wet in the eyes and then at Uncle Severus. In one quick movement, he scaringly smiled at me, before becoming expressionless once more.

Maybe I should try to get to know him, I thought as those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points - exactly the same as Slytherin. We had tied for the house cup.

Grandfather raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

'There are all kinds of courage,' said Grandfather, smiling. 'It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom.'

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Hermione, Ron, and I stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won as much as a point for Gryffindor before.

'Which means,' Grandfather called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, 'we need a little change of decoration.'

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Uncle Severus was shaking Grandmother's hand, with a horrible, forced smile, but I noticed that his eyes spoke otherwise. They were slightly teasing as if to say, 'We'll win next year.'

It was the best evening of my life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... I would never, ever forget tonight.

I had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. Ron and I both passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. We had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.

And suddenly, our wardrobes were empty, our trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ('I always hope they'll forget to give us these,' Fred said sadly); Hagrid was there to take us down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; we were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off our wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

It took quite a while for us all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting us go through the gate in twos and threes so we didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

'You must come and stay this summer,' said Ron, 'both of you - I'll send you an owl.'

'Thanks,' I said. 'But I'll be staying with my grandparent's for the end of the holidays.'

Ron and Hermione didn't question this. They assumed that I meant my Mum's parents.

People jostled us as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

'Bye, Harry!'

'See you, Potter!'

'Still famous,' said Ron, grinning at me.

'Not where I'm going, I promise you,' I said.

Hermione, Ron, and I passed through the gateway together.

'There he is, Mum, there he is, look!'

It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

'Harry Potter!' she squealed. 'Look, Mom! I can see…'

'Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point.'

Mrs Weasley smiled down at us.

'Busy year?' she said.

'Very,' I said. 'Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs Weasley.'

'Oh, it was nothing, dear.'

'Ready, are you?'

It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of me, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of me.

'You must be Harry's family!' said Mrs Weasley.

'In a manner of speaking,' said Uncle Vernon. 'Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day.' He walked away.

However, I hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.

'Hope you have - er - a good holiday,' said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

'Oh, I will,' I said, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over my face. 'They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer...'

I then hurried after my family, already counting down the days when I'd be back at Hogwarts with my true family that loved me.


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Written: 19 March 2012
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OVER THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IN THIS STORY. THIS IS A NON-PROFIT FANDUB CREATED BY FANS, FOR FANS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FAIR USE ONLY. I DO, HOWEVER, CLAIM SOME COPYRIGHT OVER HARRI SINCE SHE IS HALF BASED ON MY ORIGINAL VALKYRIE CHARACTER, PRINCESS HARRIETTA.