Harry Potter and the Ancient Secret of War

Chapter Four

Of Visions And Confessions

That night, Harry lay awake for a long time, thinking about all that had happened in the last forty-eight hours, and not just about the last thing that Hermione had said. He had always wondered what it was like to have a proper birthday with a cake and all that. He had always wanted to have an `eventful' birthday, but now that he had had one, he wished that he had no birthday.

Harry always associated himself with the good of the people and as such it was difficult for him to blame anyone but himself for all that had happened. He tried to comfort himself by reminding that if it weren't for the birthday party; not only Hermione's parents but also Hermione and the Weasleys would have been fighting for their life. However, this argument clearly didn't work for Harry who had taken to his heart the notion that only he was to blame for all that had happened.

`I should have disassociated myself from Ron and Hermione long ago,' he thought, `Maybe I should go now and never show them my face again.'

However, sense caught up with him as he remembered what Dumbledore had said about Hermione being safest with him in view of the current circumstances. He found that he could not sleep and so decided to take a shower. Already, it was six and the sun was rising. He got up quietly and made his way to the door of the room. He had been very careful not to disturb Hermione, who was still sleeping like a baby.

Suddenly, Harry's scar began to throb painfully. In the past few weeks, it had pricked continuously but this was more than an ordinary prick. He felt that something was about to happen and as it did, Harry's scar burst open and he collapsed onto the floor in agony.

Harry felt like he was part of a great creature, coiled and snake-like. Yes, this was the creature that connected him to Voldemort. Why didn't he learn Occlumency? He could have avoided this vision. Harry thought to himself even as he felt the pain recede. He found himself in a dark and vaguely familiar setting. Harry tried to look at himself and realised that he had no control over his movements. With a jolt, he realized where he was. He was inside Lord Voldemort, like the other times last year when he had visions of Voldemort.

Voldemort was apparently waiting for someone. Soon, muffled sounds came down from the staircase nearby. Someone shouted, “Leave us.”

Now, it dawned upon Harry where he was. He was at 4, Privet Drive. He was in his aunt and uncle's home. And Voldemort was in there, apparently waiting to torture them. As much as Harry hated the Dursleys, he could not bear the thought of anyone being tortured so by Lord Voldemort. He tried to fight, he tried to break the connection but he was failing miserably.

Finally, Vernon and Petunia Dursley were brought down before Lord Voldemort. Both of them looked at Voldemort with fearful eyes. However, Uncle Vernon did manage to stammer out, “Who are you? Why have you captured me and my wife?”

Lord Voldemort laughed his loud, eerie laugh. Harry felt the same laugh emanating from his own throat. It was sickening. Then suddenly he thought with a jolt, `He still had control of his mind, even though he was inside Voldemort.'

But his musings were interrupted when Voldemort spoke again, “I am Lord Voldemort. And I have come here to meet you.” The voice was undoubtedly Voldemort's version of trying to speak in a falsely cheery voice. But the tone was nothing short of hideous. He walked around and then suddenly rounded upon Aunt Petunia.

Her eyes were fearful, but something was wrong. Harry thought that they did not look fearful enough. No, they didn't. Last year, Aunt Petunia showed her fear even when Harry had said Lord Voldemort's name but this time was different. Harry expected other Muggles to show such fear but Aunt Petunia? No, she knew about the magical world. She even knew a bit about Lord Voldemort, even though she didn't let anything on that. So why would she react so relatively mildly?

But again, Harry had no time to continue his train of thoughts, for Lord Voldemort spoke again, this time in his usual harsh tone, “So, you are Lily Potter's sister, are you? Well, I don't see any resemblance though. No wonder you are a Muggle, just like her.”

However, Uncle Vernon interrupted him, “What do you want from us? We don't have anything that you wizards might want.”

Again, this struck Harry as odd. He seriously doubted if Uncle Vernon would say out the word `wizard' loudly even if he were facing certain death. (Not that he was not, at the current moment.)

“What do I want?” Voldemort continued. “I want Harry Potter.”

“But he…he is not here,” Aunt Petunia stammered.

“I know he is not,” replied Lord Voldemort. “But wherever he is, I want to show to him the consequences of defying me. It was the Mudblood's parents first and now it will be you.”

With that, Voldemort raised his wand and cried, “Crucio!”

As soon as the spell was uttered, Harry felt the searing pain in his forehead. He suddenly found himself flailing his hands and legs about as he lay on the floor. Hermione was leaning over him. She had his head in her hands and was asking, “What's the matter, Harry? Was it another vision? Are you okay?”

Harry nodded quietly. He thought about what he had seen. To his surprise, he remembered every detail of what had happened. That was quite unusual. Usually, he remembered the visions in bits and snippets but here he was sitting, being able to recount every bit of what he'd seen.

Hermione let go of him slowly and asked, “Harry, what happened?”

Harry replied, “I had this vision.”

“About what?” she asked. There was great concern in her eyes.

“I saw,” Harry replied, “I saw Voldemort torturing the Dursleys, I mean, my aunt and uncle.”

“I know who the Dursleys are,” Hermione broke in. “What happened next? Are they okay?”

Harry looked around the room. With every passing second, he could see things more clearly. Apparently, the effect of the vision was wearing off. He remembered all that he had seen once again. It was real, but eerily so. Okay, Voldemort himself was scary. But there was something missing, something that begged to be noticed. As much as he believed that what he had seen was real, Harry's brain began analysing things. Finally, he got it. The vision wasn't real. It was an act, either to warn Harry or to lure him into a trap.

He looked at Hermione who was looking anxiously at him, her eyes fixed upon his face. He said, “I think the vision was a fluke.”

“What do you mean?” she asked her.

“I mean, it was just like the other time when Voldemort used Sirius' image to lure me into the Department of Mysteries. I am sure this was a trap as a well, or maybe, a warning.”

“A warning?” Hermione said faintly.

“Yes, a warning,” Harry continued, “A warning meant for me, so that I realise that Voldemort cannot be defeated. He even mentioned the attack on your parents. I think it was a warning. Yes, it was.”

“Harry, but I don't know…,” Hermione began. “It could also be very real, for all you know.”

Harry looked at her, with sheer disbelief in his eyes. He remembered that it was Hermione who was the only one who had tried to dissuade him from going to the Department of Mysteries. And now, she was the one who was actually saying that the vision he had just had might be real.

“Harry, don't get me wrong,” Hermione continued, “But I think that maybe, a part of you does want the Dursleys to get hurt. A part of you wants them to suffer for the way they have always treated you. Maybe, that's why you think that this vision isn't real.”

So, this was the problem. She thought that he might just be ignoring it because it was the Dursleys. Harry felt anger boiling inside of him.

“Hermione,” he began hotly. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND. I THOUGHT YOU KNEW ME. AND NOW I FIND YOU ACCUSING ME OF TURNING A BLIND EYE TO SOMEONE'S PAIN AND SUFFERING. I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANYONE, NOT EVEN THE DURSLEYS. THEN HOW CAN YOU ACCUSE ME OF THIS?”

Hermione looked at him, tears in her eyes, “Harry, please calm down.”

But Harry continued shouting. He shouted, “CALM DOWN! CALM DOWN! IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT I AM ANGRY. IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT I WAS ACCUSED OF SOMETHING BY MY BEST FRIEND WHO IS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.”

“Harry, please,” Hermione said. “Try and understand. For all we know, Voldemort may really have your aunt and uncle as captives at this very moment. He could be torturing them now.”

“No,” Harry said quietly, “He's not.”

“How do you know?” Hermione asked.

“Because of my scar,” Harry replied. “If Voldemort would have hurt them, I would have known till now. It would have burnt white. But it is just throbbing a bit, just like the night when I got the vision about Sirius.”

“But…” Hermione began. Harry could sense another argument coming his way, so he interrupted her and said, “And it's not just that, Hermione. The people there! I mean it wasn't like the Dursleys at all. In fact, come to think to it, even the house wasn't really like how it should have been.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“It was a bit messy,” Harry replied patiently. “And knowing the Dursleys, they would never leave their house messy. It was just so unlike them.”

“Maybe the mess was created by Voldemort and the Death Eaters,” Hermione interjected.

“No,” Harry continued. “I don't think so. It wasn't like the mess Voldemort would create. I mean, if I know him, he would prefer devastation and not just a mere mess. It was more like an ordinary home. And that is not like the Dursleys either.”

Hermione opened her mouth to speak something. But Harry, sensing a question coming, said quickly, “And that was not all. Aunt Petunia, she was afraid, yes. But I don't think she was afraid enough. I mean, she knows about Voldemort. She knows about what it was like when he was trying to capture. She knows all this. She heard from my mother. And her eyes, they were not really like they should be. There was fear, but only such fear as an ordinary Muggle would have while facing someone with a wand in his hand. If it really had been Aunt Petunia, it would have been terror in those eyes, and not fear.”

As he finished saying this, Harry was rather taken aback. What he had just said sounded so much unlike him. It sounded so, so very mature. Just like last night when he had tried to comfort Hermione. Harry was surprised at this, and he wasn't the only one. Even Hermione was looking at him with wonder in her eyes, as if something extraordinary had happened to him before her very eyes. Harry had developed quite a reputation of being a hot-headed person during school last year and it was odd to see him so calm about something that could be so serious.

Hermione finally tore away her gaze from Harry and said, “Are you sure about this Harry? I mean, I think we should at least inform Dumbledore.”

“No,” Harry replied quickly, “Everything is just fine. It's just that I don't want to inform Dumbledore about such a trivial thing as this false alarm.”

“But I think we should at least check on your aunt and uncle. Just for confirmation. We could ask Lupin to do so,” she looked at him as she said this. She knew that there was something wrong with Harry's view of Dumbledore. Usually, he'd have been the first to rush to Dumbledore with these things, but in the last nine months or so, he'd always avoided telling Dumbledore about such things.

Hearing Lupin's name, Harry nodded to her, “I think we can do that.”

“Wait a minute!” said Hermione, “I will do the necessary. I think you should change though. I'll be back in five minutes.”

As Hermione climbed down the stars, Harry realized with a start that he was still clad only in his boxer shorts. He looked around the room and finding a towel and some clean clothes, he walked to the shower and turned on the tap.

It took him about ten minutes to get ready, by which time Hermione was back in his room. She looked pleased about something. As he entered, she said, “Lupin apparated there and checked on the Dursleys. Apparently, they are still sound asleep. He even went to your cousin's boarding school and found that everything was okay.”

“So it was a fluke.” Harry said with a triumphant, low whistle.

“Apparently yes,” Hermione said, “But if you think like I do Harry, you will notice that this is just not like Voldemort. I mean the last time he lured you to the Department of Mysteries, he wanted the prophecy. But what could he want this time?”

“Well, at least everything is okay,” Harry said unconvincingly.

“At least for the present,” Hermione muttered as she exited the room and left Harry to think about what she had just said for the second time in the last eight hours.

* * * * *

Harry and Hermione were accompanied that day to the hospital by Nick MacPherson, a new recruit for the Order. He was a Muggle-born Healer and Harry was a bit sceptical about what a Healer was doing in the Order. But Lupin had told him that Nick was an excellent student in his time at Hogwarts. He had the chance to choose from two professions: as a Healer or an Auror. Although Nick had chosen the latter, he was still a very able hand at duelling. Lupin had told him that Nick was another Metamorphmagus (like Tonks) and that meant that he could use his abilities to act as an undercover agent for the Order. Personally, Harry had this sneaking suspicion that he was supervising the magical treatment of Hermione's parents.

When they reached the hospital, Harry expected Nick to lead them to the I.C.U. But instead, he led them to another room. Before he knocked on the door, he just looked at both of them, “I think you are in for a pleasant surprise here.”

As soon as they heard his words, both Harry and Hermione knew what Nick was trying to say. The same instant when he knocked, a voice came from inside, “Come in.”

Hermione rushed inside to find both her parents awake and sitting in their respective beds. Hermione ran to their side and planted herself firmly on a chair in between the two beds. She said, “Mum, Dad! You are okay!”

“Of course, we are, dear,” Mrs Granger replied, “Dr or should I say Healer MacPherson has told us everything about what happened. I must say we were very lucky. Must have given you quite a fright.”

“Oh, it's nothing,” Hermione said, “At least you are okay now.”

Harry and Nick left the room in order to give the Granger family some time together. When they got back to the waiting lounge, Harry saw Dumbledore standing there. He motioned Harry towards him.

As soon as Harry reached Dumbledore, he took him by the shoulder and led him to some neighbouring chairs. They sat down and Dumbledore surveyed Harry from head to foot.

“So Harry?” Dumbledore asked fixing his penetrating gaze on him, “Can you tell me why Miss Granger asked Remus to check on the Dursleys early this morning?”

No sooner did he hear this than Harry realize that he would have to tell Dumbledore the truth. So, he told the Headmaster everything about the vision and his conjecture that the vision was a lie. Dumbledore heard everything patiently.

After Harry finished, he said, “Well done, Harry. You have now begun to see past the lies that Voldemort places in your path. I think that is a very good sign.”

Then he looked thoughtful and continued, “But then again, I have known Voldemort for years, ever since he was eleven years old and was known as Tom Riddle. He is not one to do anything without a reason. So why did he show you this vision? Was it to test you? Or was it for anything else?

“This is disturbing, Harry. Yes, it is disturbing. Voldemort is upto something that we do not know about and I think the sooner we find it out, the better it will be for us and especially for you. I think that your presence is no longer an insurance for the safety of you and your friends. I think it is best if you stay with the Grangers for the rest of the summer. For that time and after that for Miss Granger's parents, one Order member will be indefinitely stationed with them. And remember this Harry, Voldemort has set his plan in motion and if we do not exercise `constant vigilance' as Moody says, we may find ourselves in problems worse than any we have faced thus far.”

Harry nodded. He understood what was required of him.

“Sir,” he said, “Mr and Mrs Granger, when did they wake up?”

“They have been awake for about six hours now,” Dumbledore replied. “You were not informed since we had to tell them everything first. They are all right now and seem to have accept what had happened to them. They will be in the hospital for seven more days. (Dumbledore shook his head as he said this) The Muggle Doctor believes that he effected a miracle by curing them and he wants to be sure of what he did before he discharges them. Evidently, he wants to write a research paper about their case in a medical journal.”

Dumbledore stopped and looked at Harry over his half-moon glasses. There was a twinkle in his eyes. Clearly, he had enjoyed this little joke. `Poor Doctor!' Harry thought, `He doesn't even know how his patients were cured and he still opts to write a research paper.'

Dumbledore cleared his throat once again. “I think it is time for me to go. And yes, one more thing! I think this is a time for celebration and so, the Order is giving a small dinner party at the Grangers' home. Although Miss Granger's parents won't be there, I am sure you will be pleased to attend it along with Miss Granger herself. And don't worry, I have already taken her permission for this.”

Harry grinned at Dumbledore. He couldn't wait for tonight, especially since things were starting to look up.

* * * * *

Dinner that night was a noisy affair. Besides Harry and Hermione, Lupin, Tonks and Nick were also there. Harry was thoroughly enjoying himself when he felt Hermione taking his hand and pressing a note against it.

Harry opened the note and read:

Harry,

I want to talk to you, alone. Please come to my room.

Hermione.

Harry looked over to where Hermione was standing. She shot him a pointed glance, and started moving upstairs. Harry waited for her to get a start and then excusing himself, he followed her. He reached Hermione's room and yanked the door open. At that moment, he realized that Hermione had been waiting for him in the landing.

Harry entered the room, closely followed by Hermione. As soon as they entered, Hermione closed the door behind her, and stood there, as if waiting for Harry to say something.

At last, Harry could take it no more. He said, “You wanted to talk to me? alone?”

Hermione nodded.

“What about?” Harry asked her, with a feeling in the pit of his stomach that meant that he already had a very good notion about the subject of this `talk'. He wondered how much time in the last few days he had spent talking to people. First there was Dumbledore, and now it was Hermione's turn. He began to wonder about the chances of Ron asking him to have a private conversation.

But Hermione did not seem to notice the frown that Harry wore while he thought. She was saying, “About last night. About what happened last night.”

“Nothing happened,” Harry interjected. “So why do you want to talk about it?”

“I didn't say it was anything to do with-” Hermione began but Harry broke her off, “Okay, fine. Just say what you want to.”

Hermione nodded once again. She went closer to Harry and hugged Harry. Harry allowed himself to be embraced but didn't embrace her in return. He wanted to know for sure where this was going. Hermione often did some pretty strange things (though you wouldn't think about them from her demeanour, S.P.E.W. being the most prominent example) and Harry wanted to be sure of what was happening.

Hermione said, “Harry, do you remember what I told you last night?”

“What?” Harry lied as if he did not have a single idea about what she meant.

“That I love you,” Hermione said softly.

Harry laughed aloud loudly. He broke off from the embrace and began walking around the room, laughing to himself. Finally, he stopped, seeing the hurt look on Hermione's face and said, “Of course you love me. I am your best friend.”

“No, Harry,” Hermione said, “It's not love like that of two friends, it's more than that. I am sure that I love you, more than as a friend.”

Harry looked into her brown eyes. What she was saying was undoubtedly true. It could be seen in her eyes. Harry looked into those eyes, mesmerized. He had never really looked at Hermione as a girl. All this time that he had known her, he had considered her as nothing beyond his best friend. But now, there she was, confessing his love for her. Harry thought about this for a moment. Hermione was never one to take impromptu decisions. She must have considered this, for quite some time. After all, she never did something that was rushed and illogical.

Harry thought in his mind, about how she looked when he had met her in Little Whinging a couple of days ago. He scanned her features as her image flashed in his mind. She was not very beautiful, no not really. In fact, she was just plain and simple pretty. Her beauty lay in her thinking and her simple manners, not in her clothes and her makeup or things of that sort. She had this kind of natural freshness around her which Harry thought, every sane person would want. Now Harry begun to understand why Viktor Krum had asked her out for the Yule Ball. Once you began seeing her as a girl (which Harry never had, to be honest), you began to appreciate her beauty, not only of the body but also of her mind.

As Harry thought all this, he gradually found himself in a trance-like condition. Suddenly something snapped in his mind and he shook himself up. He paced around the room once again, muttering to himself, “This cannot be happening…No, this cannot be happening…”

Hermione looked at him with alarm in her eyes. She had never expected her to take things like this and react so unusually. In fact, she did not even know why she had said what she had to Harry. It all seemed illogical and for the first time in her life, Hermione seemed confused.

Harry stopped suddenly and said, “This can't be true, Hermione. I mean, I…we are best friends. This cannot happen between us!”

Hermione said nothing. Harry continued, “Here I am, the most wanted wizard in the eyes of the most powerful Dark Wizard of the century and your best friend, and…I mean I have never ever looked like that at you…And you…you are going out with Ron, who also happens to be our other best friend…And what do we tell him?...I mean, I don't understand…This all seems so illogical, but then again, I have never seen you being illogical.”

Hermione walked upto Harry again. He was looking out of the open window, onto the street outside. His back was turned towards her. Hermione walked upto him and put her hand gingerly on his shoulder. He flinched at her touch. He turned around and took her by the shoulders. Looking straight into her eyes, he said, “Hermione, please tell me this is a lie. Please…(he looked pleadingly at her, but seeing no response coming, he continued)…I am confused. I don't know what to do, Hermione.”

“Neither do I, Harry,” Hermione said, “I had only heard and read till now that love is illogical, but I never believed in it. But I do now, Harry. I know one thing for sure about this, and that is, I love you, with all my heart.”

Harry looked at her for a moment. She seemed so weak, so vulnerable at that moment and he desired nothing more than to protect her, to take her in his arms and shield her. She seemed lost, as she stood there waiting for his response.

Suddenly, a sudden urge overtook Harry and he embraced her. He cupped her face in his hands and lifted it upwards, towards his own face. At the same time, he brought his lips down and their lips were locked together. Hermione seemed taken aback by this sudden act but soon, she too, opened up. They opened their mouths and let their tongues intertwine with each other. They tasted each other long and slowly and found themselves falling into a sea of love and warmth.

Suddenly, for the second time in the last few minutes, Harry snapped out of his trance-like state. He pulled away from Hermione and looked away from her.

“I can't Hermione,” he said, “As much as I want to, I can't.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I don't know if I am ready for anything like this,” came Harry's reply. “I don't know if I am ready for starting a relationship with someone else. Just look at what happened to all the relations that I have had. My parents…they were killed by Voldemort. Sirius…Voldemort's cronies took him away from me. And now, you…I mean the only reason your parents were attacked is that you are my best friend. Just being my best friend got you landed up in this mess, then can you imagine what can happen if you become my girlfriend, or someone dearer that even that to me.”

“Harry,” Hermione tried to assuage his fears, “You cannot blame yourself for all that has happened. You heard Dumbledore the other night. We are at war and in a war, there are always going to be such incidents. No war can be fought without murder and mayhem, otherwise it wouldn't be called a war. Harry, I don't blame you for anything that has happened. Nobody does. All I want is to be with you, and to help you in whatever you do.

“Don't you get it Harry? Even in this war where you are one of the prime targets, I want to be with you. If that isn't love, nothing is. I love you Harry. It is okay if you say no to me, but don't say that you don't understand. Don't let a murderer come in between you and what you feel.”

Harry was greatly calmed by what Hermione said. He took a deep breath.

“Hermione?” asked Harry. “Can I ask you something?” She nodded.

“Why do you love me?” he asked.

“I don't know,” she replied. “I don't know when, where, how or why. But I do know one thing about all this, Harry, the one thing that I have confessed to you. I love you and it will always be so.”

“But Ron?” Harry asked weakly. “You are going out with him, aren't you? How are we going to tell him? How is he going to react? We cannot do this to our best friend.”

“I went out with Ron,” Hermione replied, “But only once. It didn't work out. It was just that problem with us, you know. I told you about that in my letter. We are just too different. When he asked me out, I just didn't have the heart to refuse him, but it has become all the more clear to me and I hope, to him, that we are meant to be only friends and nothing more than that.”

“What happened?”

“He was over-enthusiastic, as usual, and he began goofing up everything. The Quidditch match…and then the dinner. It was horrible, he continued to goof up and what's worse, I picked on him for every one of those things. Something just took me over and I couldn't stop myself. Finally, he thought that I love someone else, and he took that someone else to be Viktor. We had a big shouting match, that day, before everyone in the restaurant and we went off, our own ways after that. I have spoken to him only once since then, that is the day before your birthday.”

Harry nodded. That would certainly, explain many things. “Hermione,” he asked, “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes Harry,” she nodded as she said so. “I love you and nothing is going to change that.”

Harry just shifted uncomfortably. He looked away from her again and said softly, “Hermione, I think I need time. I need time to think about this. I need time to decide.”

“You can have all the time you want,” she said, “You can take all the time you need to decide, Harry and for that, I am prepared to give you my whole life time.”

With that, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. He caught on involuntarily and they kissed passionately once more, enjoying the taste of each others' lips.

`BANG!'

Suddenly, there was a loud noise somewhere and a door flew open. Harry and Hermione broke off their kiss and wand in hand, started trying to figure out what had happened. The question in their minds was: What new evil had come to the Granger home?

* * * * *

What You Can Expect Next:

What was the sound that was made? Find out the answer to that. And yes, there might be a death in the next chapter, maybe even multiple deaths. Will Ron find out about what is happening between his best friends? Will he ignore it or be a prat about it? Find out all about this in the next chapter.

* * * * *

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews. If anyone is wondering why I am taking so much time, it's just that I'm reviewing the story once again and making a few changes here and there. So it's taking a bit of time. Don't worry though. I'll be updating the chapters 4 thru 8 within three-four days.