A/N: Just so you know this is the letter that Harry handed Dumbledore that night at the meeting. Also so you know it turned out to be a lot different than even I thought. I just placed myself into his shoes and wondered what to say. But Harry being Harry, well, needless to say, it is unexpected and yet totally expected. Tell me what you think. For those of you who have caught on, yes there is a lot of references to Star Wars, or at least their characters, (Jacen Solo, Admiral Ackbar, and this chapter title Visions of the Future) and other things. Oh and this chapter is a bit longer than most, hope you enjoy. Jade.
Thanks to all of you who Reviewed and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
Chapter 38
Visions of the Future
Potter Ranch
Library First Floor
Current Day
"Promise me you will do all you can to survive," he asks, almost begs, "I don't want to be the one to have to tell everyone," Dumbledore repeats to the room at large.
Everyone looks at Dumbledore with wide eyes, "he was a seer," Ron asks shocked he never knew or that if Harry was how had he failed the O.W.L's for divination.
"Yes," Minerva agrees with a nod of her head.
"But he couldn't see if he was to survive," Remus asks curiously.
"No," Dumbledore answers, "it was something he once told me about, he refuses to look at his own future in fear of changing something in it that shouldn't be changed," he explains to them.
"Even if it helped us," Ginny asks.
"There was something about that day," Minerva says in answer. "Something about a month, something he knew he couldn't tell us about for it might change everything," she says to them shocking them with the fact she, of all people, believes.
"Okay, so he knew he would win, but he didn't know if he would survive," David says with a shake of his head.
"What is the dancing green line," Severus asks as he tilts his head to the side as he tries to remember anything like that in his time with Voldemort.
"It could be the killing curse," Charles offers.
"Could be," Bill agrees. "Though we don't know," he admits. As he says this the room is plunged into an uncomfortable silence as they all realize it is time to hear the letter to them.
Albus stands up and walks over to an empty bookcase and reaches up to a level just above his eyes. He pulls his hand down and everyone knows he is holding the letter Harry left for them after the meeting. He returns to his seat and repositions his glasses so to read with them better. He slips a finger under the seal and carefully breaks it. Pulling out the parchment within, he unfolds in and clears his throat and begins to read.
Hello Everyone
If you are hearing or reading this, then I am not with you at the moment. I would like to take this time, this letter anyway, to thank everyone for all you have done for me and what you have meant to me all these years. I know my words cannot convey the truthfulness of what I have just written and I am not a person, who can easily show emotions or love, but I did feel them, I do feel them.
I have thought a lot about what I should write to you, and to be honest there is so many things I want to say, to share, but I know I can't. So I will do something none of you expected. I will not dwell on the past; in fact I will not mention the past at all, if I can help it any. I am going to give you one last gift; I am going to give you a small unchangeable glimpse into the future.
Now I understand that some of you, namely Hermione, don't believe in such things as seeing the future. So I will tell you now, believe it if you wish, but know one way or another it was these visions of the future that helped me in my darkest hours. They were my bright light when I thought all was lost. I did not lie Ron when I said Twenty some odd people. I just didn't tell you about your children and grandchildren. So now the question is who to start with, which I have decided to do in order of when I met you. I would start with Hagrid, but I know he isn't there. I have left another letter with Dobby for him.
So Mrs. Weasley I will start with you and Mr. Weasley.
A time of completeness has come to you, the both of you. You finally have what it was you have always wanted grandchildren, lots and lots of grandchildren. By my last count upon visiting this dream, you had let's see, Bill had twins and married a woman with other children, so there's five, Charles has one, taking the count up to six. Percy decides to try and repopulate the human race by himself and has triplets, bringing the count up to nine. Fred and George are successful at producing their own heirs, they two are cursed with multiple children, and both will have one set of twins, taking the count up thirteen. Now for your last two, I will withhold who has how many and which has what for their own personal story. I also added Hermione into this last part; I know you won't mind this. All of this has happened shortly after the end of the war, so your last remaining three children each have a child in the oven, bringing the total at this point in time to be sixteen grandchildren and more to come for you to spoil rotten and to show and teach them just what love is supposed to be like. Take care of them and yourself.
Now my next victim is, yes that's right, you Ginny,
You and Neville will continue to live a life of love and happiness. I know there are still trials ahead, but take them together and you will make it. You will find happiness beyond anything you have ever thought possible with the conception of your first child. Who will be a redhead just like you and the rest of your family, the Weasley trade mark will continue through you to your children. A warning to Neville, the hair is red, therefore a temper is demanded, a furious temper at that mate. I won't tell you too much, because too many things can change because of these words and I don't want to change your happiness just to get a glimpse at the future. I will tell you this though, she is a beauty.
Now Ron would you please sit down, sit back, and do not say a word until I have finished with what it is I wish to tell you. No, no you may not, no you can't comment. Ron, just do it.
As everyone listens to this they almost burst with laughter, Ron looks down at his hands trying to hide the fact Harry knows him way too well and that he was in fact going to do what Harry had just told him not to. Finally Ron smiles and nods his head in agreement; Dumbledore smiles at this and then continues with the letter.
Are you ready Ron, good now I will continue, You and Lavender are going to be stuck with someone who is as dense as you and as foretelling as Lavender. You heard me right, two. Boy and girl, a change for the trend set by the rest of the group. It seems the gene with twins on it, is passed down in the males of the family. The boy will be almost a carbon copy of you and the girl of Lavender. The job you applied for will fall through, but, catch that but in there mate, but, you will get something even better and you will be happier in this new position than the other one. You will be a great father to your children, and then a great grandfather from there. Live happily my friend, my brother, for you are meant to.
Gred and Feorge
What can I say; your business will bloom and grow more than even you can dream. The women the both of you will marry you already know and love. No, I won't tell you, but you already know. Ask them and you will not be disappointed in their answers. Your children will be even worse than the two of you. Your mother cursed you when she told you one day you were going to have children just like you, for you most definitely are.
I am going to save you, Hermione, till the last, for it will be much better there. If you don't care for this I am sorry. I just couldn't go there yet.
Professor McGonagall
The one you personally call grandson is the one who refers to you as grandmother. That's right, what you have already heard and hoped for is true. It is you, it has always been you. But that is the past, the future foretells of many students who learn under you. You have taught the future, you are teaching the future. Don't stop, you are needed there now and in the future. You will be reunited with ones you call family, they will be returning home to Hogwarts to teach with you. Children always come home, just as the parents. You are loved and cared for, don't forget that. Don't let anyone tell you what should make you happy, you know what makes you happy, don't question yourself.
Professor Snape
Boy do I have a shocker for you. You are going to be a proud husband and father of five. Even more shocking, they are going to terrorize you and then you will be pleased to know they will then terrorize the halls of Hogwarts and become friends with the children of the Weasley's and Granger. Luckily all but one will have their mother's hair. The one with your hair, watch him closely. Let him know you care. Hard as that may be, let him know.
Professor Dumbledore
You will have great grandchildren though I didn't know you had children, let alone grandchildren. I know of one who in his heart calls you grandfather, but I do not know how it can be his kids, for he is the one who is telling you many things you don't want to hear. His death is one of them. You know your feelings were returned, are returned. You know who the entry was for, who they are for. Tell the other this if she doesn't know. You will be happy and your life will be complete when this journey ends, you will never be alone. Even it if means I have to haunt you.
Charles and Bill
Happiness is around the corner, just ask and the answer you dream for is what you will hear. Tell the ladies, and you will find your hearts full of love and completeness. The families you have been dreaming of just needs to be accepted. So go and accept it already. Be happy.
Remus
I foresee many calling you uncle, and a few even calling you grandpa. I know there is no genetically matching link, but the hearts bond is true. You are not alone. Train others in the ways of your friends, your brother's, my father and my two godfathers. Teach them to be trouble for Professor Hermione and her Professor of a husband. Pass on the stories you know. This is why you need to continue, this and your son is there, I don't know who. I can't see him. Only his shadow, but you are not alone. He will return when the time is right. Thank you for everything Moony.
Now Mr. and Mrs. Granger
You two will be called grandparents at about the same time you are going to be called mom and dad again. No, this gaining of a child, a son, is through your daughter. Oddly enough it seems the one she is destined to be with is the one who you wish for her to be with. The one you have accepted in many ways more than you are willing to let on. He completes your vision of what love should be like for your daughter. He will be very hesitant to call you mum and dad, but you will sway him eventually. Don't be afraid to voice your feelings with him, he will not find you weak; he will feel something he hasn't felt much before, love. You will find it is worth it all in time. I can't see what he looks like, but I know you already call him son in your heart just as he calls you mum and dad in his.
Hermione
I know I said I would not say anything from the past, in truth this isn't the past, it is my past, present, and future. I love you. I am also very pleased to be able to tell you, you will be a loving mother and wife of the man of your dreams. I haven't seen his face, but I know he is taller than you. I also know there is a time of hardships, this is before you are married, something happened to him. What I don't know. He is injured badly and has difficulties; you who love him so, you will stick by him and never leave his side again. A promise, you have made to yourself long before now.
You have found him, more like he was brought to you and you vowed to never let him out of your sight again and you won't. This is why I didn't fight back that day. I was not the one you were meant to be with. I am not the man of your dreams. He is and he will be there shortly to comfort your heart. Once the hardship is passed your life will be full of love and happiness, together the two of you will teach at Hogwarts. I will not tell you when or what, that is your choice, but you are happy there. You and this man will only marry each other and live happily ever after. It is for this reason alone I was able to live without you in my life. Your happiness means more to me than air. Live life to its fullest Hermione; please don't dwell on the past. Know that I love you; it feels as though I have forever and ever. I love you always Harry.
The meeting is about to start and I should get there. So I have a few last things to say before I end this. Hermione, the house is yours. Dobby has my Will; he will call everyone when the enchantment on it says it is one month past my death. Hermione, will you please look after Dobby and Winky. I don't want anything to happen to either of them.
Now everyone, please be happy and live life as it should be. Don't dwell on things that can't be fixed, live for the future, for your family. You have been and always will be my family and I never got a chance to thank you for it. I love you, all of you.
Your friend, brother, son, grandson,
Harry James Potter
The room is plunged into silence as Albus stops reading the letter and gently refolds the letter and places it back into the envelope with utmost care. He carefully places the letter on the table between him and David and then sits back in his chair bringing his hands up and with his fingers together he thinks about all he has just read. That most definitely was not what he had been expecting.
"We're going to be dads," Fred says in shock and to break the silence.
"Imagine that," George says with a shake of his head.
"How did he know," Bill says with his own shock. "I never told him," he says, "I never told anyone," he finishes.
"Me neither," Charles agrees with his words.
"It isn't possible," Alexandra says after a moment of silence. "There is no way," she says shaking her head in disbelief. "No way," she says after a moment.
David is staring at his wife in shock, "I know what you mean," he agrees.
Hermione shakes her head in shock, "mum," she asks.
"It isn't possible," Alexandra repeats again.
"What isn't possible," Minerva asks.
"The one person we felt the way as he said about was him," Alexandra says in a whisper.
"He was the son we never had," David agrees with her, repeating words he has said earlier.
"He was telling the truth," Ginny almost shouts out in her shock. "He can see the future," she says in a quieter voice.
Hermione watches her parents as her own vision of the future returns and she thinks about what Harry had told her. "No," she says sitting back down in her chair. "No," she repeats softly. "For then he would know the man of my dreams is him, he's the only man I have ever loved, the only man I will ever love. He was the one I promised myself to never let out of my sights again, no," she says. "He didn't see the future, for my future is him. He is my future and my happiness," she corrects Ginny.
"He also said the one I called grandson in my heart called me his grandmother," Minerva says to them as she too thinks about this. "He said children always return home, he's mother was the first I ever considered my own, when he was born I felt he was my grandson. For him to return to Hogwarts means he'd have to be alive," she says as she drifts off.
"Who would call me their father," Remus says as he too looks at what was told to him. "The only one is Harry," he tells them. "No one else would, no one has a reason to call me grandfather, no one," he explains to them.
Albus smiles slightly as he too looks at what he had been told, "Harry is the only child I have ever thought of as a grandson, and he is the only one who would have his children call me grandfather. His words are conflicting of themselves. He says he knows of one who in his heart calls me grandfather but he doesn't know how his kids could for this is Harry himself. He addressed his journal to Minerva and myself," he says shocking Minerva and the rest in the room with his revelation. "He doesn't know if he is to have died or not," he says in thought.
"Does all this have to do with that theory you and Hermione were talking about," Ron asks as he looks down at his wife's hand in his own. He's going to be a daddy and the only thing that could make him happier is to have his brother returned to him.
Hermione's head snaps up and in his direction, "I had forgotten," she admits.
"Yeah, what was it about," Charles asks curious.
"It was about how we talk about Harry," Hermione says and then looks over at Dumbledore to see if it is alright to tell them now. Albus nods his head and a small smile forms under his white beard. "During our memories of him, we stopped talking about him in past tense and are referring to him in present tense as though he is still here," she finally answers their question.
Bill leans forward in his chair as he thinks about this for a moment, "are you trying to tell me that our subconscious is trying to convince ourselves he is still alive," he asks.
"No," Dumbledore says to them. "Our subconscious is trying to tell our conscious something important, the fact this is happening with more than one or even two people is unheard of," he tells them. "The fact of the matter is, everyone here in this room has changed how they have been talking about Harry from past to present," he says. "What this means I do not know," he confesses.