Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. Harry visits the Department of Mysteries, and the Weasleys come to stay at Harry's house.
Chapter 54
Harry and his grandparents entered the lift, and the golden grill closed behind them with a loud clang. The lift began its ascent to level nine, which housed the Department of Mysteries. Harry had previously visited the Department of Mysteries when they sent Peter Pettigrew through the veil. The sight of that veil deeply unsettled him, forcing him to leave before witnessing the man's final judgement. Fortunately, there was no need to return to the Death Chamber with the veil this time. They were on their way to the Hall of Prophecies, according to his grandfather.
"Is it really necessary for me to hear the prophecy?" Harry asked. "I thought you considered Divination a bunch of nonsense, grandmother?"
Minerva cast a glance towards him. "While I believe the subject is unnecessary, this does not rule out the existence of genuine Seers. Because of its scarcity, the subject is not really necessary. Professor Trelawney certainly doesn't help with the subject's credibility."
Harry grinned. On more than a few occasions, he had heard her rant about the professor. "Why doesn't the headmaster fire her? Albus was the one who hired her, right? There's nothing stopping the headmaster from dismissing her."
"I suggested the same thing," Minerva sniffed. "But she hasn't left the castle since she was first hired. She has become dependent, and the headmaster doesn't have the heart to fire her."
"Albus must have hired her to protect her from Voldemort," Charlus speculated. "Voldemort may have killed her simply because she delivered the prophecy in the first place."
Harry nodded, wondering if Albus's decision to keep her was solely for that reason. After all, it was not typical of Albus to act so benevolently without an ulterior motive. It is possible he thought staying close to her would increase his chances of encountering more genuine prophecies.
The lift came to a halt, and they disembarked. The entrance to the Department of Mysteries appeared as a simple corridor, with a black door at the far end. Before they could even reach it, the door swung open, revealing an Unspeakable standing there.
"Croaker is expecting you," the voice said, revealing her gender. "I will take you to his office."
"Thank you," Charlus said politely.
They followed the Unspeakable down the long, straight corridor, past the Death Chamber, until they reached several doors on their right. She knocked on one of these doors and opened but she didn't enter herself.
The office appeared to be ordinary for the most part. However, there were a few notable items that were clearly of magical origin. A massive map of Britain adorned the back wall, covered in a grid overlay. As Harry watched with interest, one of the squares on the grid lit up in a brilliant splash of red, followed by another in blue. Harry was so engrossed in the scene before him that he did not notice when Croaker stood up to greet them.
"Does the artifact interest you?" Croaker asked, noting Harry's preoccupation.
Harry nodded. "What is this map?"
"It monitors magical activity in Britain," Croaker replied. "The Department of Magical Law Enforcement also has one, but they typically use it to catch criminals and monitor underage magic use. I use the map a lot more liberally than they do."
"Are you spying on people?"
"That's not even possible," Croaker said. "I use it to make note of unusual magical occurrences. One of our responsibilities is to ensure the safety of Magical Britain's citizens. Our approach is more discreet than that of law enforcement."
"What do all the colours represent?" Harry stepped closer to examine the map in greater detail. More squares lit up as they spoke, most centred around the London area.
"That's a secret," Croaker smirked. "But you don't want to ever be associated with red."
"Can we proceed to the Hall of Prophecies now?" Charlus asked, glancing at his pocket watch. "I need to be somewhere else soon."
"Of course," Croaker agreed.
He led them out of the office, down the corridor, and to the left at the intersection. The Hall of Prophecies was a lengthy chamber located at the rear of the Department of Mysteries. Harry was surprised at how simple the department's layout was, and he wondered if some of it was hidden from them to protect important secrets.
They entered the room and walked past towering shelves filled with thousands of dusty glass orbs. The room was poorly illuminated and freezing. The upkeep could use some improvement. Perhaps the lack of visitors contributed to their disinterest in maintaining it.
He was surprised by the abundance of true prophecies in this location, which contradicted the belief that they were rare. How many prophecies did it take to fill up all these shelves? When he asked Croaker about it, the man explained the situation.
"True prophecies have no time limit," Croaker explained. "Some of these prophecies have existed for a long time and are so vague that they have no practical use. But we don't discriminate against them based on their importance. We don't understand how this is possible, but all true prophecies made in the United Kingdom end up here."
"Magic!" Harry grinned.
"We prefer more definite answers. This mystery, however, has eluded us since the department's inception. This used to be a storage room. But then the orbs started appearing here, so we changed it into what it is now."
"What exactly are these true prophecies? Do they contain specific events that always occur at some point in the future?"
Croaker shook his head. "They aren't ultimatums that bind a person to a set path. They are more like hints at possible outcomes, depending on how the people mentioned in them act."
"Then isn't knowing about them dangerous in and of itself?" Minerva asked, frowning. "They may influence the person to act in a certain way, depending on their interpretation."
"Only if you are a fool," Croaker replied. "You shouldn't take them too seriously, but they provide some hints for a person to follow."
Charlus snorted. "Are you calling Voldemort a fool? He acted on this information."
"How did he find out about it, though?" Harry mused. "Did Albus slip him the information?"
"It wouldn't surprise me," Charlus muttered.
Harry was about to ask another question when Croaker stopped and led them down one of the aisles between shelves. He indicated an orb with a label attached that displayed the names of the individuals mentioned in the prophecy.
S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D
Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter.
"Only two people are allowed to touch this orb," Croaker explained. "The people mentioned in the prophecy. Anyone else who attempts to touch it will be driven insane. If you want to listen to it, grab it and smash it against the ground."
Croaker reached into his robe for a parchment and a quill and handed them to Harry. "You will be the only one who can hear the prophecy. If you write it down, you can share it with us later."
Harry reached out and cautiously grabbed the orb. The question mark preceding his name didn't reassure him. What if they had the wrong person? Will he be driven insane? Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the orb and waited for a few moments but nothing happened. He sighed in relief.
Harry paused. Was it really necessary for him to hear this prophecy? Perhaps it was better not to know what it was about.
"It's better to know what you're up against than to be in the dark," Charlus said. "There is no need to be afraid of what the prophecy reveals."
Minerva gave him a warm smile. "They are usually really vague anyway. It would probably sound ridiculous, and you will laugh at yourself for ever being scared of the silly prophecy."
Croaker also added his two cents. "If the prophecy contains any information that can help us defeat Voldemort, we need to get our hands on it."
Harry no longer hesitated. He threw the orb against the ground, shattering it. A woman's voice spoke up, and Harry listened intently, his quill poised to record what she said.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies, the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…"
The voice abruptly changed after delivering the entire prophecy, catching Harry off guard as he automatically recorded the information. He now heard a familiar voice speaking of something he had previously heard. It was the same prophecy that Salazer Slytherin had uttered. What could be the connection between it and this prophecy? It didn't make any sense.
Harry recorded the information with a sense of confusion. He was hesitant about whether he should share the prophecy with others, as its contents deeply unsettled him. Unlike a typical prophecy, the information was far from ambiguous and left no room for interpretation.
"This is a long-winded prophecy," Charlus observed, referring to the number of words Harry was scribbling down.
"That's because there are two prophecies here," Harry replied after he had finished.
"What?" Croaker looked like he wanted to snatch the parchment out of Harry's hands. "How is that even possible? Are you sure that it's not a mistake?"
"I'm not mistaken. There were two distinct voices, one female and one male. I have heard the second one before, too."
"Why didn't you share it with us?" Minerva frowned.
Harry shrugged, not knowing how to reply.
"Let us talk about it in my office," Croaker suggested. "I don't want any of my colleagues to know about it before we determine whether it needs to be kept confidential."
They returned to Croaker's office and sat down. Harry handed the parchment over, and they discussed the two prophecies in great detail.
"Well, the first one is as I suspected," Croaker sighed. "But it doesn't help us that much. It states that you have an unknown power, Harry. Do you know what it is referring to?"
Harry sensed Croaker looking at him and quickly moved to strengthen his weak occlumency shields. While he didn't believe Croaker would try to invade his mind, he thought it was better to be safe than sorry.
"I have no idea," Harry replied. "Besides, who knows when this prophecy will be fulfilled? It could happen when I'm a doddering old man like my grandfather."
"Mind your tongue," Charlus said, fixing him with a disapproving gaze. "I share my grandson's opinion. The prophecy is far too vague to be of any practical use."
Minerva playfully tousled Harry's hair, provoking a protest from him. "He has shown a remarkable aptitude for magic. There's no need to overanalyze it."
Charlus nodded. "If I have my way, Harry will never have to confront Voldemort. I will take care of him myself."
"Then we will leave it alone for now," Croaker said, looking down at the parchment. "However, the second prophecy worries me. It's much more direct and threatening. Where did you hear this prophecy from?"
"Salazar Slytherin," Harry replied. "He said it was a cursed prophecy. It meant that he had no choice but to deliver the prophecy, even though I was born a thousand years later."
"Is that why he went to such extremes to preserve himself?" Charlus asked.
"Probably the main reason," Harry replied, declining to disclose any personal matters involving Slytherin because it wasn't relevant to their discussion.
Croaker placed the parchment paper down. "Even after working as an Unspeakable for decades and seeing so much, I'm still seeing things I've never seen before. A cursed prophecy? Who would have imagined such a thing?"
"But what is the point?" Minerva asked. "What a convoluted way to deliver a prophecy!"
"Perhaps we will discover the reason as we continue to investigate the prophecy," Croaker speculated, his eyes gleaming. "First, we need to find out what this great enemy is and how to prepare to confront it. We could be dealing with something even more terrifying than Voldemort."
His grandparents didn't look pleased with what Croaker said. Harry already had Voldemort hanging over his head, and now there was the possibility of an even more dangerous foe. Why did their grandson have to be involved in such events?
Harry hadn't given it much thought since Slytherin mentioned it. He already had a lot on his mind, so why should he be concerned about something that could be years away? How was he supposed to track down this enemy in the first place? Even if the prophecy was more direct, he didn't have much to go on. He was certain that signs of its existence would appear at some point, and he would have to deal with it then.
"Why did the prophecy appear here, though?" Croaker mused. "It's like it has taken on a life of its own since Slytherin spoke of it. Some type of magic is fueling it."
Harry shrugged. "I've seen stranger things."
They chatted for a few more minutes before a loud, ringing alarm interrupted them. Croaker turned around, his eyes locked on the map on his wall. Harry followed his gaze and focused on a large red dot that was pulsing. It was located in Scotland, but far away from Hogwarts.
"Hah, my experiment was successful," Croaker exclaimed. "I have tracked down Albus."
That immediately drew their attention. Charlus and Minerva rose to their feet, and Harry sat in stunned silence.
"Is this true?" Charlus demanded. "How did you find him?"
"I've been testing a new tracking method that detects his magical signature. But it has yet to produce any results. He must have made a mistake."
"Albus wouldn't make such a mistake," Minerva said.
Croaker walked over to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder. "I need to contact Amelia so we can put together a team to capture Albus."
"Wait," Charlus said. "I am certain Albus has spies within the ministry, including the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We can't let the information leak out."
"That is true," Croaker said after a brief pause. "I suspect that is how Albus found out about his arrest in the first place."
"Tell Amelia I will join the hunt," Charlus said. "We will deal with him with only a small team."
Harry stood up, ready to voice his objections. He had no desire for his grandfather to confront Albus, who, in his view, was completely unhinged and capable of resorting to anything to harm him.
"Charlus!" Minerva protested. "Is that wise? Albus is dangerous, and you aren't as powerful as you used to be."
"I will be fine," Charlus said dismissively. "I can handle him as long as I have some assistance. You take Harry and return home. I shouldn't take too long."
"You have to be careful," Harry said, walking over to his grandfather and hugging him.
"I am always careful," Charlus replied with a grim smile.
"See if you can find the sorting hat," Harry suggested. "Slytherin wants to move on, but he can't until his Horcrux is destroyed."
"I will keep an eye out for it," Charlus said.
"He might have wards around his property," Harry speculated. "Do you need a ward breaker? I have a few on hand."
"Where did you get them from?" Croaker asked.
"I stole them from Voldemort's hideout," Harry clarified.
"You certainly don't lack courage," Croaker remarked, laughing. "You can keep them. They aren't that effective against wards protecting properties."
Harry returned home with his grandmother, but he could not bring himself to go back to his workshop. Thoughts of his grandfather preoccupied him, so he decided to do some training with his staff to clear his mind. He started practising the fundamental techniques he had learned, carefully executing each movement and gradually increasing his speed until the staff blurred. Though he hadn't incorporated his Velocier skill into his routine yet due to a lack of confidence, the rigorous physical training he received from Master Footshredder enabled him to make significant progress in a short period of time.
He had been diligently attending classes at the gym every weekend since the Hogwarts lockdown ended. His teacher had been very impressed with his progress. He had even devised a specialised training regimen that prioritised bojutsu over karate. Harry was on track to replicate Gambit's abilities to an incredible extent with such dedicated practice. The only thing he lacked was the proper attire and demeanour to truly embody the character. He even entertained the idea of travelling to America to attend Comic-Con so he could cosplay as Gambit.
He was so focused on his practice that he did not notice his grandmother's voice calling out to him until she was only a few feet away.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked, seeing her grim expression.
"Your grandfather returned a few minutes ago, but then he immediately left again."
"What's going on? Did he capture Albus?"
Minerva shook her head. "He managed to escape before they breached the ward around his hideout."
Harry kicked the ground in frustration. "I figured it was too easy. The wily old bas-"
"Don't even finish that sentence," Minerva warned, before continuing to relay what had happened. "Even though he escaped, he left a few things behind in his haste."
Harry brightened. "Did he leave behind the sorting hat?"
"That he did. it has already been taken to Hogwarts."
"Great!" Harry grinned. "Did he find anything else useful?"
Minerva hesitated before answering. "It involves the Weasley family. They discovered a half-finished letter that he had written to one of his subordinates. I won't tell you what it involved, but he had bad intentions towards them."
"Is that where he went?" Harry asked.
"Yes. The Weasleys should have returned home by now after attending your ceremony."
Harry frowned. What could Albus possibly want to do with the Weasley family? As far as he was aware, they didn't have anything of worth to him. They might possess some family heirlooms or spells passed down through the generations, but how much would that have meant to someone like Albus?
He recalled a conversation he had with Remus about the Weasley family. They fell out with Albus, although they hadn't divulged the reason. His grandmother stepped in to pay for the Weasley kid's tuition as a result of the fallout, and they have been grateful to the Potters ever since. Was this latest incident related to that?
"Did he name the subordinate in his letter?"
"No." Minerva sighed. "He used a codeword, so their identity is still unknown."
Harry shook his head in despair. Albus was overly cautious, even after nearly being caught. Another opportunity like this was unlikely to come again.
"Go up to the house and shower," Minerva said. "I believe that we are going to have some guests soon."
"Are you talking about the Weasleys?" Harry started walking towards the house. "What the hell is going on?"
After taking a shower, he changed into a pair of shorts and a shirt and made his way down to the parlour, where he could hear loud voices from inside. It appeared the Weasleys had arrived already. He stood in the doorway, watching the family with curiosity.
Arthur and Molly Weasley were speaking with his grandparents, and they appeared quite upset. Throughout their discussion, Molly continued to cast anxious glances at Ginny. What was that about? Ginny sat in a chair, curled in a ball. She looked miserable and seemed to be in a world of her own. He wondered what had made her so upset.
Bill and Charlie quietly conversed, their expressions reflecting worry as they observed their parents. The rest of the family appeared bewildered yet enthusiastic, engaging in spirited conversations as they lounged on the furniture. Next to the fireplace sat a collection of trunks that presumably belonged to the Weasleys. It looked like they would be staying for a while.
"Harry!" Ron noticed him in the doorway and approached him. "I never expected to come to your house. Do you have any idea what is going on?"
The twins followed their younger brother and asked the same question.
"All I know is that it has something to do with Albus," Harry replied. "You will have to ask your parents for further details."
"What!" Ron shouted. "That bastard is targeting Gi-"
Fred hurriedly placed a hand over his brother's mouth to stop him from talking. Charlie smacked Ron on the back of his head, causing him to look sheepish at his overreaction. He cast a glance at Ginny, which caused Harry's eyes to narrow. Was Ginny the one involved in this? What did Albus want with her?
"Ron," Molly marched over to him, looking like she was going to deal out some punishment. "If you can't keep your mouth shut, then—"
"Stop it!" Ginny screamed, startling everyone with the sudden noise. They turned their attention to the girl, who was now standing with her fists clenched. "You don't need to hide it from me. I already know that Albus is after me."
"Princess," Arthur hurried over to her side, followed closely by his wife. "What makes you think that?"
"I overheard you talking about it," Ginny said, sniffling. "Don't even try to deny it."
Her parents looked helpless, not knowing what to say. Bill walked over and ruffled Ginny's hair, causing her to look up at him. "That's right. Albus is targeting you, although we aren't quite sure why. But we aren't going to let anything happen to you. Isn't that right, boys?"
The rest of her brothers voiced their agreement, rushing over to hug their sister. Harry watched them, unused to seeing such camaraderie among siblings. What would it be like if he had siblings, too?
Bill turned to his grandparents. "Thanks for letting my family stay here. I will be updating the wards with my father, but it will take a couple of weeks."
"It's fine." Minerva smiled. "Harry will enjoy being around kids his age. We need to start getting your rooms organised."
"Do you have enough room?" Molly asked fretfully. "We don't want to be an imposition."
"It's fine," Minerva said, waving off her concerns. "Harry, could you sleep in your workshop bedroom?" It will free up some space."
Harry nodded.
"Thank you. Can you show the kids around while we get everything organised?"
"Did you bring your broomsticks?" Harry asked. "We can fly around outside."
"Yes!" Ron dove into his trunks, searching for their shrunken brooms. After everyone had a broom, Harry grabbed his and led the way outside.
The boy rushed ahead, looking excited, but Harry slowed down to match Ginny's pace, who was looking wistfully at her brothers. She didn't have a broom of her own.
"It sucks having Albus after you," Harry said. "I know what that feels like."
Ginny glanced at him. "How did it feel to know that Albus had manipulated you for such a long time?"
She appeared less shy around him compared to the last time they had met. Maybe she had gained some confidence, or the current situation was distracting her from being nervous around him.
"Like my entire life was a lie," Harry said as he watched Ron, Fred, and George fly up into the air on their brooms. "But I was also thankful that I wasn't alone anymore. My grandparents love me and only want the best for me. You are also incredibly lucky to have such a family. All of your brothers care for you so much."
Ginny snorted. "So much so that at times it feels stifling to be around them. They treat me as if I were made of glass and don't allow me to join in their activities. It sucks to be the baby of the family."
Harry nodded. "It doesn't help that you are the only girl, either."
"Yeah," Ginny sighed.
"Do you know how to ride a broom?"
Ginny thrust her chin forward, looking rebellious. "My family won't allow me to even touch a broom, let alone ride one."
Harry smirked. "That's not what I asked."
"Of course, I know how to ride a broom," Ginny declared. "I'm really good, too; better than my brothers, except for Charlie."
Harry held out his Nimbus Two Thousand to her. "Do you want to show your brothers how good you are? They wouldn't dare stop you from flying again if you upstaged them."
Ginny smiled and grasped the broom. "Thank you."
She ran forward and mounted her broom, ascending quickly into the sky. Her brothers yelled at her to get down when they spotted her, but she ignored them. They began to chase her, but with her skills and his broom, they had no chance of catching up to her. As she flew rings around them, Ginny laughed and taunted them.
Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Bill and Charlie standing behind him.
"Thanks for giving her something to smile about," Bill said. "She looks really happy up there."
"You're not mad that I gave her a broom?" Harry asked. "She could get hurt."
"I don't think so. She has been sneaking out for years to train."
"She's a damn natural," Charlie said, grinning. "She will be better than me someday. I can already see her pursuing a professional career as a Quidditch player."
Bill frowned. "Ginny's only twelve years old. She has plenty of time to change her mind."
"She's only twelve? Isn't she going to Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked.
"Ginny turns thirteen in August," Bill replied.
"I see. With another Weasley around, I bet it's going to get even noisier," Harry remarked. "I'm going to head into my workshop."
"You don't want to join them?" Bill asked as he walked beside them.
"Nah. I will let Ginny have her fun. I have plenty of projects that I need to be working on."
"Do you mind if I have a look at your workshop?"
"I don't mind. I'll show you around."
6th July
"Alright, we are almost done," Tonks said, stretching out her arms. "We just need to move the equipment in, and the gem crafting station will be complete."
"I did most of the work," Harry retorted.
"Don't sweat the small stuff," Tonks said airily. "I will be teaching you about the craft, which is the most important part."
A small explosion sounded, attracting their attention. Fred and George appeared, coughing as they escaped from the plume of colourful smoke billowing out behind them.
"I thought I was coming here to get some peace," Tonks grumbled.
"They will only be here for another week. Stop complaining."
The Weasleys had settled into the Potters' home easily enough and brought a lot of noise and rambunctiousness to Harry's life, especially for the twins. They had taken over a corner of his workshop to continue working on their experiments, so he had set up some safety measures to prevent any damage. He had the feeling that his workshop would crumble to the ground if he left the twins alone for too long.
"By the way, have you seen Bill around?" Tonks slung an arm around his shoulder. "You wouldn't mind hooking me up, right?"
"Don't use me to get yourself a boyfriend." Harry shrugged her arm off. "Also, weren't you and Charlie dating when you were at Hogwarts? Isn't it weird that you want to date his older brother?"
"Heck no," Tonks said, laughing. "He asked me to be his pretend girlfriend so there wouldn't be any weird rumours about him. He plays for the other team."
"He's gay?" Harry asked. "Why would he care about others knowing about it? It's not something that is taboo in the magical world, right?"
Tonks leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Was I talking about a relationship between humans? I always thought that he was overly fond of dragons."
"Don't be gross!" Harry exclaimed.
"I'm only joking," Tonks said. "Being gay is not taboo in the magical world. But Charlie doesn't want to tell his parents for some reason. Perhaps it's because his mother persistently encourages him to settle down and start a family."
"He is only a year older than you, though," Harry said. "There is no rush to start a family."
"Tell that to Molly," Tonks replied, laughing.
They went outside and started moving equipment into the gem crafting room. When completed, there would be a total of four crafting stations. While he wasn't sure about the exact number of stations he would end up with, he doubted it would exceed eight. There were plenty of specialised crafting professions available, but he recognised the need to set limits on how much he could master alone. Even if wizards had extended lifespans, he didn't want to overwhelm himself by attempting to master everything.
"How is your research for your new artifact coming along?" Tonks asked.
"Don't ask!" Harry groaned. "I have been doing some experiments but haven't gotten anywhere so far."
"Perhaps you should take a break," Tonks suggested. "There is no need to hurry. Maybe you should work on something else in the meantime."
While they worked, Harry considered her suggestion. He had plenty of other projects to work on, and he wasn't getting anywhere with the allure-suppressant artefact. But that wasn't a surprise, as he knew that it wasn't going to be easy. He was already learning the new runic language to aid in the project, but it wouldn't solve his problem on its own. He still lacked information and inspiration.
"What about taking on a commission?" Tonks suggested. "To gain some more experience and earn some guild points."
Harry gave the matter some thought. Perhaps he could give the guild a visit and see if there were any interesting commissions.
So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucius is plotting something, and Harry meets Dobby for the first time.
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