I do not own any part of the Harry Potter or Eragon universes.
Big Thanks to Bearsona09 for your help with this chapter!
Sirius raised his arms into the air. "Every memory will be important from now on!"
Arya frowned. "Why is that?"
"Because they're the last memories that include me," Sirius grinned.
Thiora rolled her eyes. "And we'll miss you so much from then on."
"Ha-ha," Sirius made a face. "Just wait and see how charming I am."
"That is exactly why I am anxious, love."
Harry lay hidden in the Dursleys' flower bed. Scattered around him were letters on the ground, looking like someone had crumpled them up multiple times and then tried to smooth them out.
"Why are you lying there?" Eragon asked.
"Because it was the hottest day of the summer, and the only place where I could listen to the news peacefully," Harry replied. "And I could avoid the Dursleys this way."
Thiora pursed her lips. "You don't look like you've slept well."
"As soon as I closed my eyes, I was dreaming of the graveyard," Harry ran his hands over his face, rubbing his tired eyes. After everything that had happened in the last few days, he was still quite exhausted.
"And you're back with the Dursleys. Again alone," Arya growled, whispering, "Idiots."
Harry hunched his shoulders and wrinkled his nose. "I have a lot to say about that too… Dumbledore thought it would be safest for me this way."
"Well, Dumbledore thought the Dursleys would be the safest place for you," Hermione said.
"Physically, maybe," Oromis said. "But what about your wounded spirit? Processing everything you went through last year on your own is difficult. Especially alone."
"But at least your friends wrote to you," Eragon said.
Harry just laughed. "Yeah, great letters… So much is happening. We can't tell you anything, Harry. We can't write anything important. We'll tell you everything as soon as we see you… Just thinking about it makes me angry again, and that was years ago!"
Arya looked at Harry in surprise. "They told you nothing? Not a word after all you went through?"
Harry shook his head, and Arya growled under her breath. "Barzûl," she muttered, and Harry grinned at the dwarven curse.
There was a loud bang, and Harry jerked up, hitting his head on the open window. Were they attacking? Was Voldemort here? He straightened and drew his wand, but Uncle Vernon reached through the open window and grabbed Harry by the neck.
"Put. That. Thing. Away!" Uncle Vernon hissed.
"Let. Me. Go," Harry gasped, and they struggled until an invisible force shot through Harry, causing Uncle Vernon to let go as if he'd been shocked by electricity.
"What are you doing?" Thiora asked Sirius, and Harry looked over at his godfather. Sirius had his eyes closed with a pained expression.
"I'm imagining Lily seeing this," Sirius smiled with his eyes tightly shut. "She'd turn him into a fat worm and feed him to Hedwig."
Harry made a face. "Hedwig would never have eaten such scum."
"Why were you lurking under our window, boy?!"
"Listening to the news," Harry said.
Uncle Vernon stared at him indignantly. "Listening to the news… again?"
"Well, there's new news every day, isn't there?"
Arya snorted in amusement, while Sirius laughed out loud.
"And there's also the temper of a dragon," Oromis laughed, exhausted. "Artemis and you won't make it easy for the future rulers of this land."
"Otherwise, Alagaёsia would be boring," Harry smirked.
"We know you're up to something," Aunt Petunia said.
"We're not stupid, you know," Uncle Vernon added.
"Well, that's news," Harry replied, heading out onto the street.
"They deserve to be spoken to that way," Thiora said, her eyebrows furrowing.
Harry sat on the swing outside by the playground. With his head bowed, he looked down at a sealed letter. His name was on it, no return address, but he recognized the handwriting. It was hers.
Without reading it, Harry crumpled the letter in his hands and let it fall to the ground.
He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but it was dark when he noticed a loud group of voices. It was Dudley's gang. They didn't see him and walked on.
"It would be so easy to start a fight," Harry murmured. "One loud call, and they'd come, like insects drawn to the light. You'd do that, wouldn't you, Sirius?"
Sirius grimaced and rubbed his neck. "Most likely, I would have."
"But I'm not you," Harry sighed, following Dudley as the others in his group drifted away from him.
"Hey, Big D!" Harry called when he'd caught up to Dudley.
"I have a feeling Harry's about to say something stupid," Eragon said.
"Cool nickname," Harry said, grinning. "But to me, you'll always be sweet little Duddykins."
"Harry," Oromis sighed. "The anger inside you doesn't have to be taken out on others. Dudley can't help you with that."
"I disagree," Eragon said. "Harry had to be around Dudley for fourteen years. Anyone would go crazy eventually, when they had to sleep beneath the same roof as the Dursleys."
Harry moved his wand in a circle, ominous red and white sparks shooting out. "So… I am crazy, Eragon?"
Eragon raised his hands and took a step back. "Only on the good days."
Harry and Eragon stared at each other for a moment before both burst into laughter.
Oromis just rolled his eyes.
"Do the guys not know your mommy calls you that?"
"Shut up."
Sirius beamed. "Finally, Harry as a teenager! I missed this."
"I'll remind you of that when Lily's that age," Thiora grumbled. "After all, she's more like you than me."
Sirius's smile faded immediately. "I hadn't thought of that."
"Beat up another ten-year-old?" Harry asked.
"He got cheeky."
Harry grinned. "Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig taught to walk on its back legs? That's not cheeky; it's the truth."
"Holy hell," Sirius laughed.
"Not so brave at night, are you?" Dudley said after a few seconds.
Harry blinked. "If you look around, it is night, because it's dark, Duddykins. That's what happens when the sun isn't in the sky."
"I mean when you're in bed!"
Arya furrowed her brow and growled quietly. She could imagine exactly what Harry was going through.
"I heard you last night. Whimpering in your sleep."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Dudley grinned. "Dad! Help me, Dad! He's going to kill me, Mum! Boo-hoo!"
"Stop it," Harry said quietly. "I'm warning you!"
"He killed Cedric! Mum, come help me! He's going to kill me – Get that thing away!"
Harry snorted with amusement. "I was such an idiot."
"You went through a lot," Arya said quietly. "And had no one to confide in. It's not your fault."
"Never bring it up again," Harry snarled. "Do you understand?"
"Put that thing somewhere else!"
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!"
"PUT THAT THING AWAY –"
"I don't know about you," Eragon said, smirking. "But I'm looking forward to the temperamental Harry this year!"
"Oh, shut up, Eragon."
It became freezing cold. An impenetrable silence surrounded them, and even the whispering of the trees was gone.
"L-Leave me alone! W-What are you doing? Stop that, I-I swear, I'll hit you!"
"Dudley, just –"
They all flinched as, in the memory, Dudley gave Harry a full punch to the side of his head.
"You idiot," Harry shouted after Dudley. "You're running straight toward them!"
"Towards whom?" Thiora asked.
"Where's my wand – come on – Lumos!" Harry called out desperately, and to his luck, his wand lit up nearby with a white light.
"Magic without a wand is something only a few can do," Sirius said, impressed.
Harry shrugged. "These days, I can do a few more spells without a wand."
"Only when we transformed into Prongs and Padfoot did we not need a wand," Sirius said. "What's the trick to it? Dumbledore never told us."
"Just a flick of the wrist," Harry smirked.
"I should have known," Sirius groaned.
Harry stumbled dizzily towards his wand. He turned around, and his eyes widened in horror.
"Dementors?!" Arya hissed. "Did Voldemort send them?"
Harry shook his head. "No, it wasn't him. You have to remember, Voldemort wanted to take me down personally."
"Expecto Patronum!" A thin silver thread shot from his wand.
"What's going on? You know that spell! You've proven it multiple times!" Thiora said, panic rising as the Dementor moved closer to Harry.
"The strength of the Patronus depends on the positive feelings the caster has at that moment," Harry reminded them. "And that summer, I was anything but cheerful, you know?"
"Oh."
"What were you thinking of?" Arya wanted to know.
Harry pursed his lips. "My friends."
The slimy hands emerged from under the rotting hood, wrapping their cold fingers around Harry's throat. His head throbbed painfully, and he stopped resisting the Dementor. He could smell the creature's vile, deathly breath. It all felt hopeless.
He would see his parents again.
"Not Harry! Please, not him!" His mother's voice pierced through him, and he opened his eyes.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A powerful silver stag erupted from the tip of his wand, its antlers crashing into the Dementor, which retreated with a shriek.
"You gave me quite a scare there," Oromis said, holding a hand over his heart.
"Get him!" Harry shouted to his Patronus, which galloped toward the Dementor hovering over Dudley. The Dementor was flung into the air by the stag's antlers and disappeared into the darkness. A warm breeze brushed across Harry's face again.
"I hate those things," Eragon muttered, rubbing his arms. "They do feel evil."
Mrs Figg came panting down the street, and as Harry was about to put away his wand, she shrieked loudly.
"Don't you dare put that wand away!"
"What if they come back? If I get my hands on that Mundungus Fletcher!"
"She knew Harry was a wizard and never said a word!" Arya fumed inwardly. "Does anyone in this neighbourhood even care about your well-being?!"
Her anger only deepened when she learned that Mrs Figg was in contact with Dumbledore. What a fool that man was to have told Harry nothing about what was happening in the magical world, especially when someone lived just a house away who could have informed him at any time.
Witnessing firsthand how his aunt and uncle treated him reignited a deep anger in Arya. At the same time, she realized it was making her reflect more on her own situation with her family.
Comparing Harry's family to her own, her conflict with her mother seemed as minor as a leaf falling in the wind. Though it would never allow her to forget the pain, because her mother's decision to disown her had led to experiences she would never have had if she hadn't met people.
In that sense, she had come to appreciate humans more. They acted quickly, and they didn't dance around issues like the elves did. That didn't mean humans were infallible.
She knew well what they were capable of. Gil'ead had shown her that.
And then the letters started coming. Harry was practically buried under them, which did nothing to improve the situation in the living room. Normally, she enjoyed Harry's sarcasm, but in these moments, she wished she could support him. It reminded her, too, of how she had been when she was young and inexperienced.
And now Harry had to attend a hearing for defending himself and saving another life. The more she heard about the Ministry, the less she liked it. It was full of fools.
It took three days before Harry was freed from Privet Drive. Three whole days.
"And that's exactly why Dragon Riders wear goggles and bundle up warmly," Oromis reminded them, watching as Harry and the other witches and wizards flew on their brooms in the shadow of clouds.
Harry clutched his Firebolt with numb hands as he followed Mad-Eye.
"But the worst part isn't the cold; it's the clouds," Harry said, shivering all over. "They're always so cold and wet, when you fly through them."
"True," Oromis agreed, his gaze drifting over the city. Since it was a clear night, they could see all of London.
"All those streets and houses were built by humans," Oromis said with a trembling voice, lifting his hand as if reaching for something invisible. "But in achieving this progress, they've destroyed so much of nature. Look, there are hardly any green spaces left! Where are the trees? Everything is grey and bleak… and the noise! Even in the dead of night, you don't hear animals."
"You can't even see the stars, even though there are so few clouds tonight," Arya murmured sadly.
"Where are we?" Harry asked Lupin. Mad-Eye stomped over and rummaged in his bag for something.
"Ah, got it." He pulled out a scrap of paper, and Harry read:
The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
Moments later, a house grew out of nowhere between numbers eleven and thirteen.
"That spell is amazing. I wonder if something similar could be done with the ancient language," Eragon pondered aloud.
The others were startled when Oromis suddenly sneezed loudly.
Thiora raised an eyebrow. "Again? Are you sure you're not getting ill?"
Oromis rubbed his nose. "No, I'm fine. It just suddenly tickled, like dozens of ants were crawling over it."
"So, this is Grimmauld Place," Arya said as they stepped into the hall. "I can see why you didn't like this place, Sirius."
Sirius made a face but said nothing.
Mrs Weasley sent Harry upstairs. As soon as he stepped through the door, Hermione rushed at him and nearly knocked him over with how forcefully she hugged him.
"She probably heard about the Dementor attack," Thiora said with a smile.
A white blur fluttered down from a cabinet, landing right on Harry's shoulder.
"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed in relief, stroking her chest.
"She was acting really strange," Ron said, holding up fingers marked with healing cuts. "Almost pecked us to death when she brought your last letter."
"They deserved it," Eragon commented. "Why wouldn't they tell you anything? You're the one who went through everything!"
"Dumbledore made us swear not to tell you anything," Hermione said as if answering Eragon's question.
Eragon shook his head. "Why would anyone tell Harry anything? It's not like he's known for figuring things out on his own if he wants to know something… and only getting himself into trouble."
"Hey!"
Arya nudged him with her elbow. "He's right, though."
"I think Dumbledore thought you'd be safest with the Muggles," Ron began.
"Oh? So, you guys got attacked by Dementors too?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing against you, Harry, but I think you were brilliant as a teenager," Eragon laughed.
"That's why he had you watched – by members of the Order of the Phoenix."
"Well, that didn't exactly work out, did it?" Harry replied.
"I'm not proud of what's coming next," Harry muttered.
Arya frowned as Harry ran a hand through his hair, something he always did when he was nervous, embarrassed, or uncertain.
"Why is it that you're here, able to participate in everything, while I had to stay with the Dursleys?" Harry asked, his voice growing louder with every word.
"We're not allowed," Ron cut him off. "Mum won't even let us near the meetings; she says we're too young–"
"Merlin, Ron, that's exactly the one thing what Harry didn't want to hear," Sirius groaned.
"SO YOU WEREN'T AT THE MEETINGS, SO WHAT?"
"I'm not surprised," Oromis said, his eyes gleaming. "The anger you've been carrying inside you has only been growing. At some point, it had to break out, even if it wasn't your friends' fault. In that sense, they're the ones bearing the brunt."
"BUT WHY SHOULD I EVER BE TOLD WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL ME ANYTHING?"
"As Eragon just said, they didn't even have to tell you everything, but at least something," Thiora sighed, frowning. "But for reasons I don't understand, they told you nothing."
Oromis sighed. "Sometimes the elders forget the eagerness of youth and believe that silence is a form of protection," he said quietly. "Knowledge can be very dangerous in certain situations. Not only for oneself but also for those around you. This is why magic was only integrated at a certain point in the training of young Dragon Riders."
Harry frowned. "I disagree. You're not even giving the person a chance to act on the knowledge. It just shows me they didn't trust me… that Dumbledore didn't trust me."
"But–"
"Could someone finally explain what the Order of the Phoenix is?" Harry grumbled after calming down a bit.
"It's a secret society founded by Dumbledore to fight You-Know-Who," Hermione explained quickly.
"So, kind of like the Varden against Galbatorix?" Eragon asked.
Sirius pursed his lips, tilting his head. "Not quite. We were much smaller, and the Ministry wasn't under Voldemort's influence yet."
"Didn't you get the Daily Prophet?" Hermione asked cautiously.
"I did! But they never mentioned Voldemort," Harry said.
Hermione bit her lip. "Did you… read it thoroughly?"
Harry frowned. "Not every word. If something had happened, they would've put it on the front page, right?"
"They mention you a few times a week," Hermione said quickly.
Harry's face hardened. "What exactly does that mean?"
Ron grimaced. "They're writing about you like you're a nutter. They've picked up right where Rita Skeeter left off last year."
"They can't be serious," Eragon said angrily. "Why would they do that?"
"It's called propaganda. Fudge and his followers didn't want to believe that the easy days were over, and there were enough Death Eaters close to him who wanted exactly that," Harry explained. "Galbatorix is trying the same thing. I told you about those books in Teirm, didn't I?"
Eragon's eyes darkened. "The ones that labelled the Varden as barbarians and elves as monsters?"
"Oh, that's news to me," Oromis commented. "But I can't say I'm surprised."
"To be honest, I don't think it makes much of a difference," Harry added.
Eragon raised an eyebrow. "And why not? Those lies might be why so few people join the Varden."
"Eragon, remember how many people in Carvahall could read or even owned books… Many common people can't read or don't have much interest in it. Your own Uncle could read, but didn't bother you to teach it, because he found it wasted on you," Harry shrugged. "It means the only ones reading those books are likely the nobles or those with some wealth, and why would they join the Varden if they're living comfortably?"
"That'll only change when they become dissatisfied or if Galbatorix gives them reasons to join the Varden himself."
"Then we'll be the ones to open their eyes," Eragon said determinedly.
"It's worth a try," Harry agreed.
"Remember to be quiet when you enter the hall, Harry," Mrs Weasley said.
Harry frowned, pausing at the bottom of the stairs. Then there was a loud crash.
"Tonks!" Mrs Weasley called out in exasperation.
"Sorry – bloody umbrella stand –" Tonks mumbled, but her words were drowned out by a horrible shriek.
Arya winced and covered her ears, but the words still came through.
"Mudblood! Scum! Unworthy!"
Harry turned to see that the velvet curtains had flown open, revealing a portrait.
"Wow, she's hideous," Eragon boomed.
"I agree with you," Sirius laughed. "That's my lovely mother."
Eragon's eyes widened. "You're related to her?"
Harry grinned, pointing at Sirius's face. "You can tell from around the nose!" he quickly ducked to avoid the smack to the back of the head that Sirius aimed at him.
Eragon rolled his eyes, but his shoulders tensed briefly as he thought of his own mother. What would she think of him? Would she be proud of what he had done so far?
Or would she be disgusted with him, knowing he already carried so many lives on his conscience? And that the number would only keep rising once he and Saphira went back to fight for the Varden?
Eragon flinched as a hand rested on his shoulder, and he found himself looking into his master's gentle eyes. "Eragon, stop poisoning your thoughts. Calm your breath, as I've taught you."
Eragon closed his eyes and slowly recited a poem in the ancient language. As he murmured to himself, he noticed his thoughts no longer drifting into waters he didn't wish to tread.
"Be quiet, you old hag! Quiet!" Sirius thundered, and his mother's eyes widened.
"You! You filth! Traitor of my blood!" Sirius yanked hard on the curtains, and with great effort, they fell closed.
He turned to Harry with a grim expression. "Hello, Harry. Welcome to my humble home."
"My dear old Mum," Sirius said. "Come on, let's get away from this sight."
Harry looked at Sirius, puzzled. "But why is she here?"
Sirius raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Didn't anyone tell you? This was my parents' house."
Harry covered his face with his hands as Arya sniggered beside him. "Stop it, Arya. This isn't funny."
Arya held a hand over her mouth to hide her smile, though the corners of her mouth betrayed her.
"Harry had a lot on his mind; it's easy to overlook one or two things," Oromis said softly, adding, "even when it's a dragon-sized truth staring him in the face."
"Oi, I heard that!" Harry grunted, dropping his hands from his face, while Arya was still smiling.
He turned to Arya. "If you don't stop, I'll ask Rhunön or Dellanir what you were like at my age. I'm sure they have a few embarrassing memories."
Arya's smile vanished. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh, do you have something to hide?"
Arya hesitated for a moment. "It's nothing."
"Now I'm even more curious."
Harry only grinned in response, causing Arya to cross her arms in annoyance.
"Had a nice summer so far?" Sirius asked.
"No, it was terrible," Harry replied, a hint of a grin flickering across Sirius's face.
"The old you reminds me so much of when you first showed up in Ellesméra," Thiora whispered, squeezing Sirius's hand. "It took so long before I ever saw your laugh, but I fell in love with it quickly."
"All of you, it's time for bed," Mrs Weasley called through the kitchen.
"One more moment, Molly," Sirius replied. "You surprise me, Harry. I would have thought you'd be asking us all the questions you've been wondering about all summer."
"I did!" Harry said angrily. "But Ron and Hermione said we weren't allowed in the Order-"
"I'm not sure that was the best way to start the conversation, Sirius," Oromis said.
Sirius rubbed his chin. "In my defence, I've been stuck in this house for months, and having Harry here finally brought some excitement."
"Harry isn't even of age yet!" Fred shouted angrily.
"It's not my fault you weren't told what the Order was doing," Sirius said, surprisingly calmly. "That was your parents' decision. But Harry-"
"It's not up to you to decide what's best for Harry," Mrs Weasley interrupted sharply.
Thiora exhaled, and it sounded like a furious hiss. "I know she means well, but does she hear how she's talking to you? Aside from the Dursleys, you're the only family Harry has left! He's your godson!"
"So, you know what's best for Harry, Molly?" Sirius countered. "Harry saw Voldemort return just a few months ago, and you think it's right to keep him in the dark? Are you out of your mind?!"
Mrs Weasley bristled. "He's not a member of the Order!"
"He can still ask questions!" Sirius snapped back. "And by saying that, you show how little you know Harry. He's James and Lily's son, and if you knew him at all, you'd know he'd find out the answers himself, wouldn't he?" Sirius asked, glancing at Harry, who nodded awkwardly.
"We know that side of you as well," Eragon said, grinning.
Harry rolled his eyes. "As if you're any different."
"Dumbledore has his reasons for not letting Harry know too much, and as someone who cares deeply about his well-being-"
"He's not your son!" Sirius growled.
"But he's as good as," Mrs Weasley replied sharply. "Who else does he have?"
"He has me!"
"Yes," Mrs Weasley said, her lips curling. "Only, you had a rather hard time taking care of him while you were locked up in Azkaban, didn't you?"
"Ow," Sirius grunted.
"Sorry," Thiora muttered, loosening her fist she'd clenched in rising anger.
At that moment, everyone flinched - those in the memory and those watching - as Harry's fist slammed onto the table, making the dishes clatter. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at Mrs Weasley, incredulous at what he'd just heard.
Harry couldn't believe Mrs Weasley had said that. He looked back at Sirius, pale with shock. Harry wouldn't let anyone speak to his godfather that way.
"None of you can imagine what it's like to be hated in your own home," Harry said, seeing Mrs Weasley open her mouth to respond.
"Mrs Weasley… I was allowed to spend two summers with your family, which I'm very grateful for, but if you think you know me, you're terribly mistaken. Sirius broke out of Azkaban when he heard I was in danger. He escaped from a prison that no witch or wizard had ever escaped before. Last year, he lived in a cave eating rats and dirt with a hippogriff just to be close to me in Hogwarts, and I'm not going to let anyone speak poorly of him. Is that clear?"
Harry looked away, biting his lip. "And if you care about me, I have to ask - why didn't you visit me at the Dursleys' this summer? Nearly every night, I have nightmares… about how Cedric died… how Voldemort tortured me… seeing my parents again. But no one cared. No one."
Mrs Weasley's lips trembled. "I -"
"And if you think I'll just sit here and let you talk to my godfather, the only person at this table who's been through as much as I have, I suggest you leave Sirius alone. He doesn't deserve that."
"I've got the best godson anyone could ask for," Sirius sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve.
"If you thought I'd let anyone speak to you like that, you were mistaken," Harry replied.
"And you were even polite about it," Oromis praised him. "I'd feared otherwise."
"Harry can hold back when he wants to," Arya remarked with a smirk. "He's shown that more than once."
"Though it doesn't happen very often," Eragon added quietly.
Harry rolled his eyes, hearing Eragon, who wasn't as quiet as he thought. "Shut up, farm boy."
Eragon grinned as the memory faded, giving way to a new one. It was dark, and the first rays of morning light streamed through the window as Harry slept soundly in his room.
Plonk.
A dull sound came from the stairs and repeated after a short moment. Harry turned over in his bed, but suddenly the door burst open, and Harry shot up. He fumbled for his glasses and quickly put them on.
"Constant vigilance, Potter!" Mad-Eye shouted from the doorway, slamming his staff on the floor. A red flash hit Harry, knocking him back against the wall.
Eragon looked at Harry sympathetically, while Sirius couldn't suppress his laughter. "The way you used to wake me up was mild in comparison. The man's absolutely crazy."
Sirius wiped a tear from his eye. "Mad-Eye is certainly… one of a kind."
"Come on, Potter. We've got a lot to do unless you'd rather stay lying there like a weakling?"
"I'm not weak!" Harry growled, reaching for his wand. He took a deep breath, staring at Mad-Eye with a hardened expression. "What exactly is this supposed to be?"
Mad-Eye grunted. "Didn't Sirius tell you?"
Sirius shook his head, grinning. "Of course not!"
Harry shook his head. "No, he didn't."
Mad-Eye removed his magical eye, polishing it on his sleeve before popping it back in.
"Sirius asked me and Remus to train you while you're here, Potter. You need to be ready for what's out there."
Harry had heard a lot about Mad-Eye the previous school year, and the idea didn't entirely sit well with him.
"Why can't Sirius do it?" Harry asked irritably.
Mad-Eye merely tapped his finger to his temple.
They all stared at Sirius, who just shrugged. "Twelve years with Dementors took their toll. Back then, my mind was a mess."
Thiora rubbed Sirius's shoulder gently. "It still is, darling," Thiora muttered causing Sirius to snort.
"So, what are we doing now?" Harry asked slowly.
Mad-Eye grinned. "Each morning, one of us will come to get you and show you what it means to fight, Potter. And tomorrow, I expect you to be up and dressed at this time, understood?"
Harry nodded uncertainly.
"The bastard lied," Harry said, crossing his arms.
"In what way did he lie?" Arya asked, frowning.
"He ambushed me in the middle of the night and blasted me out of bed. He didn't come every night, but I had to be ready every time he might. After a week, I begged Remus to teach me a spell that would warn me in advance," Harry grunted.
Oromis looked at the battle-scarred face of Mad-Eye Moody. "As I once told you, this Moody seems to have an interesting personality, but he's the best example of what war can do to us. The war against Galbatorix darkened the hearts of many Riders, turning them paranoid."
"Just like Brom," Eragon murmured.
The colours blurred together, and the memory jumped from one place to the next. Arya first found herself in what felt like a courtroom, with rows of witches and wizards seated on benches that rose high above. All eyes were on Harry, who sat alone in the centre of the room, looking more lost than Arya had ever seen the man now standing beside her.
Slowly, she moved to stand next to him and noticed his intense, defiant gaze fixed on the Minister. She smiled gently. Even in this situation, he held his ground. She couldn't have been prouder of Harry. He was facing the man responsible for keeping the truth hidden and publicly mocking him all summer. It was all just too much.
And then the questioning began. The prosecutors left Harry no time to answer and didn't allow him to explain what had happened. Arya bit the inside of her cheek, sensing that this entire trial had one purpose: to expel Harry from Hogwarts, leaving him unprotected by Dumbledore's influence, making it far easier to capture him.
At the mention of Dumbledore, the man himself entered the courtroom. But Arya's eyes narrowed as she noticed he didn't even glance at Harry. She wasn't naive enough to blame Dumbledore for all the pain in Harry's life; life was far too unpredictable for that. But despite everything, he had always looked at Harry with warmth in his eyes, which was now completely absent.
Still, she couldn't help but be amused by Fudge's desperation to bring Harry to his knees and Harry's continued defiance. It seemed the trial was nearly won when Arya was startled by the sudden appearance of a witch dressed entirely in pink. A bold choice, Arya thought, though she suspected it was less about making a statement and more about distracting from her toad-like face.
But it was disturbing to see the hunger for power gleaming in her eyes… Dolores Umbridge. Arya knew she wouldn't be forgetting that name anytime soon.
At least Harry was acquitted, and she was genuinely glad. It turned out to be a fortunate outcome, as Umbridge was soon appointed as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, making herself instantly unpopular by interrupting Dumbledore's welcome speech.
Arya could already imagine how Harry would react to this woman, and her guess was proven right. Harry received detention from Umbridge for daring to tell the truth. As much as she agreed with Hermione that it was naive of Harry to expect Umbridge to tolerate the truth - especially after Fudge attempted to discredit him through The Daily Prophet - the very thought made Arya's blood boil.
Then came the detention. Ha! Detention? She'd have loved to pay Umbridge a visit, especially with Artemis. Arya glanced down at Harry's right arm, and if one looked closely, the faint outline of the words carved into his skin that night was still visible.
"I must not tell lies…"
The scene shifted again, and they found themselves in a pub. Arya could hardly believe it when she saw Harry agreeing to teach other students. She looked over at him with newfound admiration. She'd always seen him as a fighter but never as someone who'd taken on the role of a teacher. Although, with the way he treated Lily, it was quite sweet…
Watching Harry instructing students, whether they were his age, younger, or even older, was a refreshing change from the horrors she'd seen in his memories. Harry moved through the students, adjusting wand grips or stances, correcting pronunciations or wand movements, and offering encouraging words to those already on the right track.
She sighed softly. Strangely, it comforted her to know that the skills and knowledge of the Dragon Riders would be passed on to capable hands. She'd noticed how well Harry fought alongside her and the Varden during the Battle of Farthen Dûr, and she wondered what it would mean for the future of the Varden.
Meanwhile, Umbridge tightened her grip on Hogwarts, being named the High Inquisitor and banning all clubs, including the DA. Arya knew that Harry wouldn't stop, especially now that it was forbidden. She was certain that if Harry had organized that first pub meeting himself, they wouldn't have been caught. Harry was simply more practised and cautious in that regard.
The memory shifted, showing Harry walking down a dark corridor. These scenes repeated, always ending in front of the same door, black as obsidian. It gradually dawned on Arya that these were dreams. Harry had told her once how he had dreamed of her in Gil'ead… was this the same thing?
Then, suddenly, the dream changed. Shadows moved back and forth, parting as a white light illuminated the path. She followed the light and saw a red-haired man standing ahead with his wand raised.
She stretched her neck forward - and struck.
"First of all," Eragon panted, "this Umbridge is just like Galbatorix!"
"Eragon," Oromis warned him, but the young Rider only shook his head.
"Master, you can't tell me that this – this toad doesn't -"
Sirius sighed. "Eragon, the world isn't divided into good people and Galbatorix. We all have darkness within us."
Eragon's shoulders slumped. "Then what makes us different?"
Oromis placed a hand on his shoulder. "That we choose the good each time."
Eragon stared at him, his face tired. "And what is good? What is evil?"
Oromis grinned broadly. "Those are exactly the questions I expect from a Dragon Rider. But I can tell you one thing, Eragon: you are on the right path."
Harry chuckled as Eragon groaned.
"What happened to Mr. Weasley?" Arya asked.
"He was attacked by Nagini," Harry answered once he stopped chuckling. "They took him to St. Mungo's, and he stayed there over Christmas. He survived."
Arya nodded, relieved. "Good. Without him, the Weasleys would lose their foundation. He's the one who holds them together."
"True," Harry grunted as the memory shifted, and they found themselves in the dungeons.
"Why are we here?" Eragon asked.
"The Headmaster has tasked me with teaching you Occlumency. I can only hope you perform better at it than at Potions."
"Occlumency?" Thiora repeated.
"A branch of magic that protects the mind against intrusion and manipulation," Harry recited Snape's words, which were burned into his memory.
"And the counterpart to Legilimency," Arya continued. "That's the ability-"
"To extract feelings and memories from someone else's mind," Harry finished.
"Please stop that, my head hurts," Sirius groaned, as Arya and Harry exchanged a grin.
"So, it's like our ability to enter someone else's mind or to block them from ours?" Eragon asked.
"More or less," Harry replied thoughtfully. "But Legilimency is far more painful for the person it's used on."
Arya didn't need to ask why. She'd seen how Harry was tortured with it in the graveyard memory. Now she also understood why Harry had been so angry with the Urgal they encountered on the way to Tarnag. Harry then had used Legilimency on him, and she was sure he hated himself for it.
"And I'm convinced that Snivellus - uh, Snape," Sirius grumbled, quickly correcting himself as he noticed Harry and Thiora's stares, "was the wrong person to teach you something so important."
Oromis crossed his arms. "I'd agree with you now, Sirius. Severus Snape is a very bitter man, still carrying deep resentment toward Harry's father and now, towards Harry himself. This isn't the right kind of relationship for such a personal endeavour."
"But you once said eye contact was necessary," Eragon noted, his eyes suddenly widening. "I forgot! Voldemort himself mentioned it, didn't he? You and him are connected through your scar!"
Harry nodded. "That's why I had to learn it. When Mr. Weasley was attacked, Voldemort realized I had seen the attack. And if I could see into his mind unintentionally, he could obviously do the same to mine."
"I've heard that you've already shown resistance to the Imperious Curse," Snape said.
"Harry has completely thrown it off," Thiora corrected proudly.
Harry laughed. "For me to ever get praise from Snape, Voldemort would have to start handing out gingerbread at Christmas."
"You'll find, Potter, that it requires similar skills… now prepare yourself. Legilimens!"
"He can't be serious," Arya said, casting a warning look at Sirius, though it was unnecessary this time; Sirius's stormy grey eyes were already full of hatred directed at Snape.
"He didn't even try to explain to you how to block him," she growled. "He just attacked you like a pervert, going through your memories! How were you supposed to learn anything that way?"
"According to Snape, it was the fastest method," Harry shrugged.
"And how long did this 'teaching' go on?" Arya asked sharply.
"For several hours over months."
Arya pressed her hands to her temples in frustration. "Harry, you were being mentally tortured!"
Harry whirled around to her. "Do you think I don't know that, Arya?! For hours I sat on that bloody chair while Snape attacked me over and over," he said angrily.
He took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "After every Occlumency lesson with Snape, my head felt like it was splitting in two."
He let out a bitter, humourless laugh and shook his head. "And I was right…"
Arya folded her arms across her chest and, with a hateful glare at Snape, said one single word.
"Barzûl."
White smoke flew through the air, and Eragon had to duck as an otter leapt over his head.
"Are those…?" Arya asked.
Harry gave a quick nod. "Patronuses. The otter belonged to Hermione."
"Harry, you managed to teach dozens of students your age a spell that most adult witches and wizards can't perform!" Sirius said proudly.
"Uh – thanks?" Harry mumbled.
"You've done something incredible, Harry. Even if not all of them could produce a Patronus in front of a Dementor, one of them might succeed, and with that alone, you'll have saved a life," Oromis said.
Thiora tilted her head as the door opened, and Dobby entered. He hurried over to Harry, tugging on his cloak to get his attention, which he finally managed to do.
"But why is he here?" Arya's eyes narrowed. "This can't mean anything good."
"Dobby? What are you doing here?" Harry asked.
"She – she's coming," Dobby stammered, attempting to bang his head against Harry's knee.
Harry's face went pale. "You don't mean-"
"Umbridge," Arya finished the sentence. "She's found out. But how? I don't see anyone marked by Hermione's curse."
"Her name is Marietta. She wasn't there that night," Harry replied.
Fawkes looked up as Harry entered. He was now in Dumbledore's office full of people. Dumbledore sat behind his desk with a cheerful expression, popping a lemon drop into his mouth.
"You got caught?" Eragon asked in surprise.
Harry made a face. "Not on purpose. Malfoy was hiding behind a vase and spotted me."
"Which, of course, Umbridge and the Minister will use to hit back at Dumbledore," Thiora said. "Not that they have any idea who they're dealing with."
"Why would they?" Sirius scoffed. "They wouldn't believe Voldemort had returned even if he was standing right in front of them, poking their stubborn noses. And by then, it'd be far too late."
"Well, Potter… you know why you're here, I assume," Fudge said.
Harry played dumb, which wasn't too hard, given his cousin was Dudley.
"No, I don't."
Fudge looked at Harry incredulously. "You don't know which school rules you might have broken?"
Harry tilted his head to the side like a cat. "Nope."
Arya couldn't hold back a snort. "Did you really think that would work?"
Harry smirked. "Not really, but as long as I got on Fudge's nerves, I counted it as a win."
Eragon slapped his fist into his open hand. "Now I know how we can defeat Galbatorix! We just hand him over to Harry, and he'll annoy him until he surrenders - ouch!"
Oromis chuckled as Harry put Eragon in a headlock. "I don't think that would work, Eragon."
"Let me go – ugh – Harry - Ow!"
Harry released a breathless Eragon, who glared at him while attempting to fix his now-messy hair.
"I'd advise against making jokes like that," Arya said. "Artemis might not react as kindly."
"Understood," Eragon grumbled.
Harry watched as Umbridge entered with Marietta, who had "SNEAK" spelt out in pimples across her face.
"Ouch," Thiora murmured. "Hermione may not look it, but she can be very… unforgiving."
"I think it's fantastic," Sirius beamed, though his grin faded as Thiora shot him a sharp look.
"Is there no counter-curse for that?" Fudge asked, turning to Umbridge.
"As if she even remotely understands how that spell works," Arya said, casting a sharp glance at Umbridge.
"Madam Umbridge, control yourself!" Kingsley said in his deep, steady voice when she put her hands on the student. "You wouldn't want to get yourself into trouble."
"No," Umbridge gasped. "I mean, yes, you're right, Shacklebolt - I was beside myself."
"This person should not be allowed near children," Oromis said.
Sirius raised an eyebrow, grinning crookedly. "You're only realizing this now? I thought you elves were quicker than us humans."
"I saw what she did to Harry, of course," Oromis replied. "But the fact that she can't restrain herself even in the presence of the Minister and Aurors only reinforces how dangerous she is around children. Not that I believe Fudge cares much at the moment. He seems rather indifferent to the young girl's distress."
"See how they called themselves? It's right here in black and white!" Fudge said, barely containing his glee. "Dumbledore's Army."
"Well, the game's up," Dumbledore said.
Thiora looked at Dumbledore in surprise. "I didn't expect that. Given how he's acted this past year, I almost assumed he'd throw you under the bus."
"Well – well, I came here tonight with the expectation that I'd be expelling Potter, and instead-"
"Instead, you'll be arresting me," Dumbledore said with a smile. "As if losing a Knut and finding a Galleon instead, right?"
"Harry's worth far more than a Knut," Arya hissed.
"You'll be escorted to the Ministry, where formal charges will be filed against you, Dumbledore! Then you'll be sent to Azkaban-"
"Ah," said Dumbledore mildly. "I thought there might be a catch."
"A catch?" Fudge replied, still sounding delighted.
"Of course. I might give the impression that I'll go along quietly, but I have no intention of letting myself be taken to Azkaban, Cornelius. I could break out, of course, but that would be a rather time-consuming affair."
"He's going to fight the Minister? Why hasn't he done that sooner?" Eragon muttered.
Harry shook his head. "Not fight, Eragon. If Dumbledore did that, there'd be an uproar, especially with his name dragged through the mud all year."
"Just like yours," Arya reminded him.
"Oh," Fudge sneered. "You mean to take on Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Dolores, and me all by yourself?"
"By Merlin's beard, no," Dumbledore smiled. "Only if you're foolish enough to force me."
"Ah, the arrogance of age," Oromis said.
"Or the arrogance of the powerful," Harry added, making Oromis smile.
"Enough nonsense! Dawlish, Shacklebolt! Arrest him!" Fudge shouted.
Fawkes let out a piercing cry and flew over the others toward Dumbledore, who reached up with his hands. Clapping his hands together, he and Fawkes vanished in a massive burst of red and gold flames that sent a shockwave through the room, throwing everyone to the floor.
Arya shook her head with a grin. "Fawkes truly is remarkable."
Harry smiled. "I couldn't agree more."
Shacklebolt slowly rose from the floor, watching with a grin as the disoriented Minister stared at the spot where Dumbledore had stood moments before.
He schooled his face into a neutral expression and spoke in his deep voice. "You may not like him, Minister, but you can't deny one thing about Dumbledore. The man has style."
Sirius barked with laughter at Fudge's shocked face. "Kingsley told me about this but seeing it for myself is something else entirely!"
Arya's face darkened as more memories played out before her eyes, showing how darkness spread through Hogwarts. Laughter vanished from the corridors, replaced by a cold, emotionless emptiness.
With Dumbledore's disappearance, Umbridge was, of course, set to take over as headmistress. Arya couldn't help but grin as she watched Harry peek around a corner in one memory, seeing him trying to enter the headmaster's office without success.
But that didn't change the fact that Harry was having those dreams again - the dreams of that unknown door in the Ministry's department. Soon it became serious for Harry, and Arya wandered around the Great Hall while Harry took his O.W.L.'s exam in History of Magic.
She peeked over Ron's shoulder, amused, as he scribbled down that Bonaccard was one of those who hunted trolls, even though it was he who wanted to ban the hunt and grant rights to the trolls... Suddenly, she heard a faint groan. Arya knew it could only be one person.
She turned and went to Harry's desk, where his eyes were tightly shut in pain, his palm pressed firmly against his scar. Arya knelt before him, trying to place her hand on his forehead, but her hand went straight through. She hated not being able to do anything.
Then Harry opened one eye, and she felt as though she was being pulled into him, seeing what he saw. Sirius lay on the floor at their feet, writhing in agony. A long-fingered white hand gripping a wand pointed at Sirius, and she heard a high, cold voice say, "Crucio!"
Arya flinched as the curse struck Sirius, and his screams echoed through the hall. Without blinking, she stared so long at Sirius that she betrayed herself, seeing not him but herself being tortured by Durza. How she endured the pain.
But then the memory exploded before her, and instead, she saw Harry and his friends running down a corridor in the Ministry. It had been a trap.
"Why are we running?!" Eragon gasped.
"Because the Death Eaters are after us!" Arya shouted, annoyed. "They want the prophecy."
They dashed into a new room, and Arya rubbed her arms as she looked around. She felt a chill. It was a large space, like an amphitheatre, and in the centre stood a platform with an ancient stone arch. It was old, covered in cracks, and Arya wondered how the arch had not yet collapsed.
In the middle of the arch was a tattered black veil that fluttered slightly in the wind despite the cold air around them.
"Is that -?" Thiora murmured with wide eyes as Sirius approached the veil.
His breathing was calm and deliberate. He reached out his hand toward the veil, but before he could, Harry stopped him.
"These voices…," Arya said, stepping beside Harry. "Did only you hear them?"
"What voices?" Eragon asked, confused.
"Prick up your ears, Eragon, and listen," Oromis urged him. But even the old Rider furrowed his brow. It seemed he heard no voices either.
Eragon rolled his eyes. "A bit hard when there's a battle raging around us."
Arya placed her hand to her ear and tried to block out the roaring battle and the explosions, listening closely.
Very quietly, like a whisper, she heard voices emanating from the veil. At first, she couldn't understand the words, but it was like a rehearsed song led by five different voices. The voices sounded so old and… powerful. Each word vibrated with an unyielding strength!
Arya's eyes widened, and she stared at Harry, who was also gazing at the veil with wide eyes.
"Wyrda… They keep repeating it. Wyrda… Wyrda," Harry murmured.
Arya nodded. "The word for fate in the ancient language… but where are these voices coming from? And who are they?"
"Crucio!" shouted Bellatrix across the room, and Neville fell to the ground.
"Ah, my dear cousin," Sirius said, having regained his composure. "I almost forgot how much disgust I feel when I see her."
Thiora grasped his hand, which trembled weakly.
"The situation looks very unfavourable for you," Oromis said with concern. "Even if Harry gives them the prophecy, the Death Eaters will hardly let them go. From what I've seen of them so far, they are anything but honourable. More like ruthless."
"But how are they supposed to escape?" Eragon asked, upset.
Harry's head snapped up as the doors above them burst open, and five people stormed into the room. One of them was Sirius.
"I must say, you know how to handle a wand," Oromis said, addressing Sirius.
Sirius's eyes sparkled as Thiora rolled her eyes and said, "Stay grounded, mighty Merlin."
"I wonder what a duel between wizards would look like," Eragon said, feeling dizzy from all the flashes of light flickering around the room.
"That's exactly why duels between magicians are so dangerous," Oromis replied sharply. "Only when you know exactly what your opponent intends to do can you use magic; otherwise, you run the risk of killing each other. And for that, you must be battle-hardened, for-"
"Dumbledore! Dumbledore is here!" cried one of the Death Eaters, trying to escape, but he was pulled back by an invisible lasso and fell to the ground, unconscious, with a dull thud.
"Your headmaster possesses a very strong aura," Oromis noted. "His presence reminds me a bit of someone who left us for the void many years ago."
"Who?" Arya asked, focusing on Harry.
"Vrael, of course."
"Come on, Bella, you can do better!"
Sirius sighed. "I was such an idiot. I had several chances to defeat her, but I didn't."
"Why?"
The question made Sirius flinch. It came from Harry.
"I was arrogant," he said slowly. "But more than anything, it was the first time I could do something! The first time in years I was truly glad to be alive… and I didn't want that feeling to fade."
"After all you've been through," Thiora whispered, "there's nothing wrong with that."
"I understand why you did it," Harry said quietly. "And I don't blame you for it today."
Silence met them until Harry lifted his head, his green eyes glowing in dim light. "Maybe this is selfish of me, but you know… I just wish that one day someone would truly think of me first."
Arya looked at Harry with a shocked expression, because she could see how truly lonely he seemed. Harry had become a good friend to her in such a short time; could she be that person for him?
Does she want to be that person?
But before she could take a single step, Arya jumped as a scream echoed through the room.
"SIRIUS!" Harry shouted.
"Shit," Sirius murmured as he heard Harry's scream. It pierced through his bones.
Thiora stood beside him, shocked, covering her mouth with her hands, and as Sirius fell through the veil and vanished, a deep sadness spread in her heart for a brief moment, but it disappeared when she felt Sirius's strong arms wrap around her as her legs grew weak.
"I don't know what I would do if I lost you," she said, trembling all over.
"You won't because I'm not going anywhere," Sirius murmured, slowly stroking her back in circles.
"But not for Harry," she said, sorrow in her voice. "He will be alone."
"He can't come back, Harry, because he's dead," Remus said, his voice broken.
"HE'S-NOT-DEAD!" Harry roared. There was a loud crash, and Harry looked behind him to see Kingsley collapse in pain. Bellatrix fled, cackling, and was already halfway up the stairs-
"Harry, no!" Remus shouted, but Harry had ripped his arm away.
"SHE KILLED SIRIUS - I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" Harry bellowed.
"Harry," Arya whispered, trying to grasp his hand, but he pulled it back.
Harry squeezed through the lift and ran after Bellatrix, who left destruction in her wake. She was almost at the telephone lift when she turned around and sent a curse at Harry.
He ducked behind the fountain of the Magical Siblings. "Come out, come out, little Harry!" she called in her baby voice.
"She's really pissing me off," Eragon growled.
"Why did you follow me if you're hiding? I thought you wanted to avenge my dear cousin?"
"That's what I'm doing!" Harry shouted back, taking cover behind a statue.
"Aaaah… did you love him, little Potty baby?"
"She's insane," Eragon said.
"That bitch!" Sirius growled, baring his teeth.
Thiora's hands tightened around Sirius's with elven strength. "Sirius!" she urged quietly but urgently.
As Arya now looked into the eyes of the Harry from the memory, she flinched slightly. Hatred. She had never seen such raw and pure hatred glowing in those green eyes.
Harry aimed his wand at Bellatrix and barked, "Crucio!"
"Harry! That's an Unforgivable Curse!" Sirius cried.
"She's done unforgivable things too," Arya immediately defended Harry.
The curse knocked Bellatrix off her feet, but she didn't scream like Neville had.
"You've never used an Unforgivable Curse, have you, boy?" Bellatrix laughed. Her voice now completely serious.
"Do not call me boy!"
"You have to mean it, Potter! You have to want to cause pain - to enjoy it - Come, I'll teach you a lesson!"
Harry took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, they were cold and steely. He aimed his wand at Bellatrix once more and whispered, "Crucio!" The sound of his voice was cold and sharp as a razor blade.
Even before Bellatrix was thrown off her feet and began to scream, Arya knew it would work.
The screams of the dreadful woman echoed through the vast emptiness of the empty atrium.
Slowly, Harry stepped closer to her, his wand still firmly directed at her without a tremor.
In his eyes lay something almost like joy… or madness.
Harry's words from the memory of the graveyard shot back into her mind: "It's very easy to give in to that voice of madness… far too easy." She swallowed hard. He spoke from experience.
But then she saw something… heard something. Right next to Harry, there was a shimmer in the air. Just a faint glimmer, as if the dim light was bending around something that wasn't really there. "Harry isn't alone," Arya whispered, looking around the atrium.
"Do it," whispered a voice. "She killed your godfather. She deserves it."
At that moment, Harry's gaze became clearer, and he quickly tore his wand away from Bellatrix's twitching and whimpering form, breaking the curse.
Arya glanced at the group of onlookers.
Harry stood next to her, yet he refused to meet anyone's gaze. Sirius was pale as a ghost and trembling all over. His eyes were fixed on the memory of his godson, full of disbelief at what he was witnessing.
Thiora stood there, burying her face in Sirius's shoulder.
Oromis looked seriously at his student, appearing uncertain for the first time about what to say.
Eragon's face was written with shock and disbelief.
"I won't do it," Harry whispered, slowly letting his wand hand drop to his side.
"It's just two words. You know them," said the high, cold voice. "Use them, and revenge will be yours!"
Harry's wand arm began to tremble. "She killed Sirius. She deserves to die."
"I fully hated her at that moment. The Dursleys… Malfoy… Snape… Umbridge; I didn't even hate Voldemort as much as Bellatrix," Harry growled quietly.
He heard a laugh behind him. "Exactly, she deserves it. And who is more worthy to judge her than we are? Kill her, as she killed your godfather, boy. Sirius would have wanted you to take revenge. You know the words. Speak them."
Sirius shook his head and stepped closer to Harry. He embraced his godson and pulled him tight.
Arya watched as Harry melted into the embrace, decades of tension and accusations slowly falling away.
Slowly, Harry lifted his arms and wrapped them around Sirius.
"I never wanted you to kill Bellatrix. Not because she didn't deserve it, but because I didn't want you to become a murderer at fifteen," Sirius whispered, holding Harry tightly.
"I killed Quirrell when I was eleven," Harry replied quietly, his voice muffled against Sirius's shoulder, before slowly pulling away from his godfather.
At that moment, Oromis chimed in. "But not to murder him, Harry. You wanted to protect the Stone and defend yourself against Quirrell. This is different."
"Avada… Kedavra," Harry murmured to himself, and the tip of his wand glowed green for a moment. His whole body began to tremble with tension. "You know the suffering she has caused, Harry. Imagine what she is capable of. You can prevent all that… KILL HER!"
Harry screamed and roared in rage, but his wand clattered to the ground. He turned and looked Voldemort in the eyes, who stood in the middle of the atrium. "I will not kill her. Sirius wouldn't have wanted that."
"Harry, you never cease to surprise me," Oromis smiled with pride.
"Foolish, Potter. But it shows strength to resist the call for revenge, and I admire that… but now give me my prophecy!"
Harry laughed. "Your prophecy? It's broken."
"You're lying!" Bellatrix screamed from the ground.
"Oh, someone doesn't like that," Sirius grinned.
"Oh, his unworthy mind is not capable of lying to me, Bella. You should know that."
"But, my lord -"
"Silence!" Voldemort hissed, turning back to Harry. "Then I have nothing more to say to you, Potter. You have thwarted my plans too often. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
But the golden statue of the wizard in the fountain suddenly sprang to life, crashing down in front of Harry's feet and intercepting the curse.
"Who -?" Thiora whispered.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "What-? Dumbledore!"
He hurled another killing curse, this time aimed at Dumbledore, who apparated and appeared behind Voldemort. Dumbledore pointed his wand at the fountain, and the remaining statues came to life. One of them pushed Harry aside, away from the fight.
"It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly. "The Aurors are on their way -"
"By then, I will be gone, and you will be dead!"
They watched as Dumbledore made a slight movement with his wand, and Arya felt a chill run down her spine as she sensed the power of the spell rushing past them.
"I've never seen anything like this," Oromis said in awe as Voldemort summoned a glowing silver shield, resulting in a deep, gong-like sound as Dumbledore's spell struck Voldemort.
"I have not seen such magic even in the fights against the Foresworn."
"You don't intend to kill me, Dumbledore?"
"We both know there are other ways to destroy a man, Tom. Simply taking your life would frankly not satisfy me."
Voldemort spat in Dumbledore's direction. "There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!"
"That is completely wrong," Dumbledore replied.
"What could be worse than death?" Eragon wondered.
Sirius draped an arm around Eragon's shoulder. "Hopefully something you never have to learn."
Dumbledore and Voldemort exchanged spells and curses again. Dumbledore conjured a long rope of green flame that coiled around Voldemort, but then it transformed into a fiery snake, ready to attack Dumbledore. At the same time, Voldemort attacked Dumbledore with a killing curse, and a red-gold flickering flame appeared above Dumbledore's head-
"Fawkes!" Arya cried, but her eyes went wide as the phoenix swallowed the killing curse and fell to the ground in flames.
"Don't worry, he lives. Remember, he's a phoenix," Harry said as placed a comforting hand on Arya as she looked at him in shock.
Arya nodded silently, and they watched as Dumbledore destroyed the snake with a flick of his wand. With a fluid motion, the water in the fountain rose and engulfed Voldemort, who was trapped in the water, but then suddenly vanished.
"Where has he gone?" Eragon asked, confused. "I can't see him anywhere!"
"Kill me now, Dumbledore…"
Every fibre in his body screamed for release, and a creature with red eyes used him.
"If death means nothing to you, Dumbledore, then kill the boy."
"Let the pain end… let it be that he kills me… Death is nothing compared to the pain… I would see Sirius again… my parents… All of this went through my mind at that moment," Harry confessed.
"You didn't want to live anymore… You had enough of everything. When I was trapped by the Shade… I… I can understand you. At some point, the pain breaks down every wall and everything seems to be hopeless," Arya whispered, and Harry only nodded in understanding. They both had gone through similar experiences and knew exactly what the other was going through.
"Then why didn't you stop fighting?" Eragon asked.
Harry smiled. "That's relatively easy to answer. I didn't want Voldemort to win. And I did. I won."
"What happened then?" Sirius asked quietly.
"Fudge and the Aurors arrived just in time to catch a glimpse of Voldemort, and even Fudge couldn't deny it anymore," Harry explained.
"And you?" Thiora asked hesitantly.
Harry grimaced. "Dumbledore brought me back to his office in Hogwarts."
"I know how you feel, Harry," Dumbledore said.
"I don't think that's the right approach," Thiora murmured cautiously.
"No, you don't know."
Harry turned away from Dumbledore and looked out the window at the Quidditch stadium. The place where he had once seen Sirius.
"You have no reason to be ashamed of what you feel, Harry," Dumbledore's voice said. "On the contrary… the fact that you feel pain in such a way is one of your great strengths."
"I agree," Oromis said, nodding at Harry. "Although I think Dumbledore is taking a lot of liberties here... You never really learned to deal with emotions at the Dursleys."
"I think that's enough, Oromis," Arya said firmly.
"Ah, I'm sorry." Oromis looked apologetically at Harry.
"It's all good, Ebrithil. I've heard worse before," Harry said, amused.
"Harry, your suffering proves that you are still a human being! This pain is part of being human-"
"THEN - I DON'T WANT TO BE HUMAN!"
Sirius cleared his throat cautiously. "Well, your wish is granted! You're now a Dragon Rider!"
Arya, Harry, and Thiora rolled their eyes and said simultaneously, "Shut up, Padfoot."
Harry grabbed one of the silver instruments that stood on the table beside him and threw it against the wall, where it shattered.
"Wow," Sirius said. "None of us would have dared to do that."
Harry ran his hand through his hair. "That's not my best moment… I haven't had many good moments this year."
"That's an understatement," Eragon huffed.
Arya ducked as he threw something around again in the memory.
"Let me out."
"No," Dumbledore said calmly.
"If not - if you keep me here - if you don't let me out -"
"Go ahead, continue to destroy what I own," Dumbledore said calmly. "I would say it's too much anyway."
Sirius ran his hands through his hair. "Dumbledore! This is really not the right time to crack a joke." And he added quietly, "Even if it was a good one."
Dumbledore laid his hands open on the table. "Harry, I owe you an explanation. An explanation for the mistakes of an old man."
"What mistakes?"
"A few come to mind," Sirius growled and began to count on his fingers. "He left Harry with the Dursleys, never explained that he was a wizard, facing off Trolls and Voldemort in his first year-"
"Sirius, I think we got the picture," Harry snorted.
"I became worried that Voldemort would recognize the connection that exists between him and you. Haven't you wondered why I wasn't the one to teach you Occlumency? Why didn't I look at you in the eyes for months?"
"I think we're all asking that, Dumbledore," Arya muttered.
"I tried to keep my distance from you to protect you, Harry. I cared too much about you."
"If that's how Dumbledore behaves when he cares about Harry, I don't want to know what he does when he doesn't care about someone," Eragon murmured.
"It's time for you to get the answer to your question, Harry, that you asked me in your first year," Dumbledore said.
"What question?" Thiora whispered.
"Why did Voldemort try to kill me," Harry began.
"When I was still a baby," finished the Harry from the memory.
"You've mentioned it before," Arya said, staring into Harry's eyes. "The prophecy - what does it say?"
The memory faded, and the last thing Arya saw was the determined face of Harry from the memory.
Harry, who stood next to her, raised his wand and waved it through the air, and letters of fire appeared in the air, glowing.
"The One with the power to defeat the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have a power the Dark Lord knows not… and one must die at the hand of the other, for none can live while the other survives… the One with the power to defeat the Dark Lord will be born when the seventh month dies…"
A/N: I initially wanted to include the 6th year in this chapter as well, but thought it would interrupt the flow from 5th year, so I will put 6th year in the next chapter with 7th year (Going to be a long one, but the main focus will be 7th year, simply because of the changes so far, which means 6th year should be shorter than the others). I have not shown much of the battle Department of Mysteries, because of the chapter that I did from Sirius' PoV and thought it would be boring to read again.
I haven't seen anyone mention a few certain things that I have included in the memories so far, so maybe it was too subtle, or the writing was bad (Or everyone got it, but didn't want to mention it; That's fine!). Either way, I will try to summarize those points at the end of the next chapter, so everything will hopefully be clear, because it will be very important going forward.
Thank you for reading, until next time