Ah...welcome to another week of ficdom. As of when I'm typing this, it is exactly one month until HBP, which could very well solve all the shipping debate in HP fandom. Let's all cross our fingers for our favorite ship, the H.M.S. Pumpkin Pie.
Speaking of HBP, I'm planning on posting the last chapter of this story on July 15th, so you can all read the finale before going out to the midnight release party (don't roll your eyes at me, you know you are). That means that this story will be 12 chapters long...which I think is about right. I could actually end this story in THIS chapter if I wanted to, I know how it's all going to work out, but I'm sure we all want to see Harry teach a little ::wink:: So that being said, let's continue on!
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Chapter 8: Puzzle Pieces
Harry awoke the next morning to find bright light flooding his face. Groaning, he made to move his right arm to cover his eyes, but found himself unable to lift it. Turning his head to the right, he saw Hermione sleeping contently on his arm, her own draped across his body. Harry sighed and smiled, remembering the night before with a smile on his face.
"Harry?" Hermione moaned softly, one of her eyes opening slightly.
"It's me, love," he said still smiling.
"What time is it?" she asked, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes again. Harry looked over at Hermione's bedside table and saw that her mechanical clock read 9:45.
"Quarter to ten," Harry answered. At this, Hermione's eyes shot open.
"It's that late?" she asked, quickly to a sitting position. "Oh my god...you have to get back to your room quickly before anyone notices..."
"Shhh..." Harry said holding a finger to her lips. "McGonagal already knows everything. There's nothing to worry about."
"She WHAT?!" Hermione screeched.
"Er...that didn't come out right," Harry said. "What I meant to say is that Dumbledore told her my story before she hired me, and she knows how madly in love with you I am."
"Oh..." Hermione said lying back down. "Well then...I'm sorry for yelling."
"It's okay," Harry replied, brushing an errant strand of hair from her face. "How are you feeling?"
"All things considered...not that bad I suppose," she replied with a sigh. "I don't know if I'll ever get over them."
"I don't know what to say," Harry said honestly. "I feel like it's my fault, but someone once told me that taking all the blame for something out of your control only leads to foolish self-hatred and pity."
"Who said that?" Hermione asked.
"You did," Harry replied with a smile. "Right after Sirius died."
"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "I know it must be a strain on you. You've already lost both your parents and your godfather, and I'm sitting here wailing about my problems."
"I would be worried about you if you weren't," Harry said softly. "It's because I've lost so many people...more than you know about, actually...that I can completely understand what you're going through. I'll be here to help you every step of the way, you know."
"Thank you," Hermione replied. "It just feels so...so..."
"Surreal?" Harry suggested.
"Yeah, that's it," Hermione said. "I just can't believe they're gone. I don't know what to do..."
"All you can do is live life," Harry said. "And be happy. I didn't really know your parents that well, but don't all parents only want their child to be happy?"
"Most of them, anyway," Hermione replied with a sigh. "I suppose you're right. We'll have to figure out when to have their funeral."
"I'm sure Dumbledore can help arrange that," Harry said. They lay together in silence for a little while until Hermione spoke up.
"Who else did you know?" Hermione asked.
"Hmm?"
"Who else did you know that Voldemort murdered," Hermione revised. Harry sighed.
"The list is far too long," he said. "My parents and Sirius are just the tip of the iceberg. Remus Lupin, your DADA teacher in third year was my surrogate godfather after Sirius died. Cedric Diggory was an acquaintance of mine when he was killed...that one was really was my fault."
"I doubt that," Hermione said.
"Then there was a slew of people in the Order that got killed in my sixth and seventh years...too many to remember the names of. Most of them were new inductees who just wanted to help bring down evil in the world."
"That's terrible," Hermione said sadly, burying her face in Harry's chest.
"That's war," Harry corrected. "But I'll end it soon enough. I won't let the slaughter of innocent witches, wizards, and muggle start to happen again."
"We'll end it soon enough," Hermione said. "D'you think that after your performance last night I'd ever let you go again?"
"I hope not," Harry said with a smile. "Care for an encore?"
"I think that could be arranged," Hermione replied, love and lust shining in her eyes.
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"Does he know yet?" Dumbledore asked softly, trying to make his presence unknown to the people in the other room.
"A part of it," came the reply.
"How much?"
"He knows about the protections it had, and what it was." Dumbledore sighed.
"Do you know when he'll figure it out?" the aged wizard asked.
"If I knew the future, I would've made a prophecy of my own, don't you think?" came the response.
"Too right," Dumbledore said with a smile. "You need to help him."
"I already have."
"Yes...that much is certain I think," Dumbledore replied. "And while that was a rather grand thing you did for Harry and Hermione, Fawkes, I don't think we have very much time left until a battle arrives at our doorstep."
"You're right about that," Fawkes replied. "Traethis tells me that the Dark One is gathering his forces to storm the castle."
"Already?" Dumbledore asked.
"He knows that people are refusing to accept him as a Dark Lord, and therefore he not only plans to put that knowledge in their heads, he plans to do so while we are at our weakest."
"You have to find a way to tell him," Dumbledore said. "Harry needs to know the contents of that prophecy."
"It's a shame Rowena made me the keeper, or you could tell him yourself," Fawkes replied with a grim look.
"It's much better that she did it that way, and you know it," Dumbledore said. "Or else there would have been problems when the war broke out."
"The truth is unfortunate, sometimes."
"How is Traethis anyway?" Dumbledore asked.
"Quite well, thank you," Fawkes replied. "Not liking his position very much..."
"Living with Bellatrix Lestrange can't do much for one's nerves, even if he is your brother."
"He says the stench of evil in that place is unbearable," Fawkes said.
"Quite understandable," Dumbledore replied. "I must thank him when I see him next."
"Help the boy learn to calm his mind," Fawkes said as Dumbledore stood to leave. "He needs to understand me before it's too late."
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Harry woke some time later to muffled voices coming from the common room. He slid out of bed gently so as not to wake Hermione and threw on a pair of pants and a shirt before opening the door just enough to see what was going on.
"Severus can assist," Professor McGonagal said. "I'm sure he'd be willing to if the request came from you."
"I do not like using unnatural processes to accomplish something which can be achieved naturally," Dumbledore replied. "That is the surest way to be trapped by dark magic."
"If we have as little time as you really say...I don't see how we have a choice," McGonagal replied.
"I agree," Dumbledore said heavily. "But I don't think we should jump into this lightly. I want to consult with Harry first before any decisions are made."
"Very well," Minerva said. "But hurry, Albus. My power is not nearly as strong as yours. I don't think the castle could withstand an attack right now."
"I will speak with him right away," Dumbledore said. "Go and tell Severus I will be speaking with him shortly. I have other things I need to discuss with him anyway."
"Very well," McGonagal said, turning towards the exit of the common room. "Good luck, Albus."
"Thank you," he replied as McGonagal left the room. "You can come out, Harry."
Harry was startled but strangely enough not surprised that Dumbledore knew he was eavesdropping. He opened the door quietly and stepped out into the room, closing it behind him.
"Erm...sorry, Albus. I didn't mean to eavesdrop..."
"Of course you did," Dumbledore replied with a grin. "No harm though, you would've heard most of that conversation from me anyway."
"What were you talking about?" Harry asked.
"Have a seat first," Dumbledore said. "This may take a minute." Harry sat in one of the chairs by the fireplace, Dumbledore took the seat opposite him. "It has come to my attention that Voldemort is planning to attack Hogwarts within the next month."
"Are you kidding me?" Harry asked. "Already?"
"Probably after the population arrives," Dumbledore said, ignoring Harry's question. "So that there's more damage."
"What are we going to do about it?" he asked. Dumbledore's expression hardened instantly.
"From what I understand, Luna told you what she knows about the egg that Fawkes created," he said. Harry nodded. "Do you understand why Fawkes created it with the protections that he did?"
"Not really," Harry confessed.
"There were two protections on it," Dumbledore said. "Each accomplished one form of the two teachings of safety."
"What are those?" Harry asked.
"The first," Dumbledore said. "Is to never let the enemy see you bleed. That was what the memory charm was for. If the recording of the prophecy was broken in the presence of anyone but yourself, it would trigger the charm and everyone's memories would be wiped, except for Fawkes' of course."
"The doesn't explain why Voldemort and I got transported to different parts of the world," Harry said.
"Fawkes, being the smart bird that he is, knew that if the recording was broken in anyone's presence but your own, you would likely be in trouble. He thought a portkey tied into the magical signature that only you and Voldemort possess would accomplish getting you out of harm's way."
"Fine," Harry said. "So what's the second 'teaching of safety'?"
"Always have an escape plan," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"So that was the portkey, then?" Harry asked.
"Not in the least," Dumbledore replied. "The portkey was a 'last resort' if you will. No, the ability for the sphere to open a time portal, that was the escape plan."
"That worked out well, didn't it?" Harry scoffed.
"It actually worked out perfectly, with the obvious exception that you had the extreme misfortune to go back in time to Tom Riddle's seventh year. You could've gone anywhere...it was supposed to be random. According to Fawkes it was completely bad luck that you ended up when you did."
"Great," Harry said. "So why did Fawkes put all these protections on the egg?"
"Prophecy, Harry," Dumbledore corrected. "He did so because he is the only one with the capability to tell the prophecy to anyone else. I, myself, heard it for the first time only after you came to live here a few weeks ago."
"Can't you tell it to me, then?" Harry asked.
"No," Dumbledore said. "The prophecy was given many, many years ago by Rowena Ravenclaw to Fawkes, who at the time happened to be Godric Gryffindor's faithful friend. She immediately made him the keeper of the prophecy."
"What does that mean?" Harry asked.
"That he is the only one who can speak the information it contains aloud," Dumbledore said. "So you see, that leaves us in a bit of a quandary."
"I need to learn phoenix, obviously," Harry said. "I take it Minerva had an idea that's rather dangerous?"
"Not dangerous in the traditional sense, but yes, she did," Dumbledore said. "There is a potion that allows the drinker to become universally fluent in all languages. The problem is that it's considered very dark magic, as it contains basilisk blood."
"If it's not dangerous in the 'it'll kill me sense'," Harry said, "why is it dangerous?"
"Because it's an easy way out," Dumbledore said. "Especially because it's dark magic. Dark magic often contains unnatural 'easy ways' out of problems. I just wanted to make sure you understood what you're getting yourself into if you drink this."
"Because you're worried it could turn me evil?" Harry asked.
"No," Dumbledore replied. "I do not believe you could ever become evil like Lord Voldemort is. I do however, believe that being a practitioner of the dark arts is neither very wise, nor safe, so I want you to understand that using special ways to achieve what you want, like this, should only be used very infrequently."
"I understand," Harry said. "I'm not too thrilled about the idea of drinking basilisk blood as it is. Where will you find some anyway?"
"I believe that Severus has the ability to scrape some off Godric Gryffindor's sword," Dumbledore said. "It still resides in the headmaster's office, you know."
"Ah," Harry said.
"I shall tell Severus to start making the potion right away," Dumbledore said standing up. "It will take a week and a half to mature."
"Very well," Harry said. "I'll see you around then, Albus."
"Indeed you will, Harry."
Harry stared at the retreating back of Albus until he was gone from the room. He couldn't help but wonder whether the time when he would have to face Voldemort at last was coming soon.
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I know it's rather short, and, quite frankly, rather dull. A few of you may have problems with Hermione's
reaction to her parents' deaths, but please don't constantly yell at me in your reviews about it. If you would
like, I will rationalize her behavior in a response to clear up any confusion. There's also a reference to one of
my favorite movies in this chapter...pumpkin pie to those who get it. Until next time.