Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: Well, I do so apologize to anyone who actually read the previous four chapters and waited for the fifth. To be honest, I kind of lost the will to write. The actual book 6 and book 7 were so disappointing that I did not feel especially good about writing.

On a side note, I'm looking for a beta reader to give me feedback and pester me about finishing my chapters. If anyone is interested, let me know.

Chapter 5: Turning The Corner

Harry woke up with a calm feeling that he wasn't used to. He didn't want to open his eyes... His dream had been so nice; a change from recent dreams. But as his mind became more corporeal, his grasp on what his dream was became looser and looser, until he was left looking at the ceiling with nothing but a content feeling filling him.

The time seemed as if it wasn't passing just laying there, but eventually Harry wrenched himself out of bed and pulled his clothes over his body. It was only then that something struck Harry: today was his birthday. He quickly looked around the room, just to make sure. Just as he thought, Ron wasn't there, and the clock only said 10 AM. Very suspicious indeed.

He opened the door slowly, an odd feeling in his stomach. He had never been anticipating going down the stairs on his birthday... it felt odd. As if it was something that didn't belong in Harry Potter's life. It was something that belongs to others, people who had a future...

Harry shook those thoughts from his head and slowly crept down the stairs. Everything was so quiet. Did everyone leave?

But the thought was fleeting and quickly dispelled by the smell of cooking breakfast meats. He poked his head into the kitchen upon reaching the bottom floor and was shocked by what he saw. Before him stood Ron and Hermione, both bustling around the kitchen, managing all sorts of food. Hermione looked as if she were concentrating hard on a difficult question while Ron appeared to be wrestling a Skrewt.

"What are you two doing?" Harry asked, causing both of them to jump. Ron turned and got a guilty look on his face, as if he had been caught in act of doing something wrong, but Hermione turned to him with a look of surprise.

"Get out of here!" she sputtered, pushing him back into the dining room. "You stay in here and wait until it's ready!" She turned to leave and Harry could hardly contain himself but for the fact that he didn't know how to respond. So out of habit he sat down and did exactly what she told him to.

Yawning as he looked around the room, Harry noticed a copy of the Daily Prophet lying on the table and quickly picked it up to read the first page. The headline made Harry snort with indignation and a fair bit of contempt.

Ministry Assures Public Department of Mysteries Incident Isolated

Harry glanced down at the picture, a plump official looking wizard holding his hands as if to calm the reader down, motioning as you might to quiet someone. Harry opened the paper and glanced over the other stories. As he read them he felt as if he was being coddled, like you would a child.

"This isn't news anymore," Harry muttered in disgust as he put the paper back on the table.

"Oh, it could be worse," a voice from the door observed. Harry turned and greeted Mr. Weasley with a smile. "Happy Birthday, Harry." Mr. Weasley sat down next to Harry, grabbing the paper Harry had just discarded. "What's that wonderful smell?" he asked.

"Err... I think it's a birthday present," Harry mumbled. Mr. Weasley smiled and nodded.

"I still can't believe that Hermione got Ron into the kitchen," he said with a chuckle.

Harry was about to voice his surprise as well when the door to the kitchen opened revealing Ron and Hermione carrying several trays of the most elaborate breakfast foods Harry had ever seen outside of Hogwarts.

"Happy Birthday Harry," Ron said as they placed the plates in front of him.

"I don't really know what to say," Harry murmured, taking in all the food in front of him. He saw at least five different breakfast meats, eggs, several kinds of toast and preserves, a few pastries on the side, a few waffles and pancakes, and a couple different beverages. He looked up at Ron, then rested his eyes on Hermione. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me," Hermione told him, "this little gift was Ron's idea." Harry looked over at Ron, who was quickly turning red, with a shocked expression on his face.

"But you don't even know how to cook!" Harry exclaimed. He looked back down at the breakfast before him, then over at Mr. Weasley. From the look on his face, he also had just learned of Ron's sudden creativeness. He turned back to Ron and a large smile broke out on his face like the Sun shining through friendly clouds on a warm day.

"Thanks Ron... this really means a lot to me..." Ron shifted, looking uncomfortable.

"S'nothing," he said softly. "I didn't know how to make any of it... would have been sunk without Hermione." Harry stood and put one arm around each of them, feeling an exuberance that he hadn't felt since his unplanned trip to the Ministry. His troubles and problems had melted away; only the feeling he felt now seemed to exist. It was different, Harry realized. He felt loved.

"Well," Mr. Weasley started, "best finish up breakfast. Afterwards I've been told to keep watch over the house while the three of you spend some time outdoors. I think we can spare one day outside in London, Harry." He grinned.

Harry sat down with Ron and Hermione, and together they ate their breakfast. Though they'd had better prepared meals at Hogwarts, there was a certain satisfaction of having something homemade that seemed to make the food taste better than it was.

It wasn't long before the three of them had finished and they promptly left the house. Harry was thankful for the time outdoors, just walking. He hadn't been allowed outside the house at all while he had been with the Dursley's, and walking outside in the sun with his two best friends, Harry felt another small weight lift off him.

The trio spent the day out in Muggle London, walking around and enjoying the small pleasures such as ice cream. Hermione and Harry enjoyed showing Ron some of the interesting things about Muggle life in London, explaining how the transit system works several times before Ron was able to put it all together.

When they returned to Grimmauld it was beginning to get dark, and the three of them were thoroughly tired of traveling. They walked into the house to find the entrance busy with activity as many people were in the house talking in groups. Harry looked around the room and saw familiar faces all over, and as the people in the room noticed the entrance, they raised their glasses with a chorus of "Happy Birthday"s.

"What's this?" Harry asked Tonks, who was close to him standing with Kingsley.

"Well you didn't think we'd go without a party for your birthday, did you Harry?" He smiled. She had on a flashy red outfit with apple red hair to match.

Harry felt an anticipation at seeing everyone in the room that was quite odd. It was as if he was anticipating his own reaction to the birthday party. He burst into a wide smile and beamed around the room at his companions. He couldn't recall ever being in a room where he felt more wanted in his life. All of the faces smiling at him; all there to wish him the best.

As he looked between the faces his smile drained however. He couldn't help it, couldn't stop himself. Looking at all of the friendly faces made Sirius' absence from them seem painful in a way which it hadn't all day long. Harry's moods had been moving up and down at breakneck speeds recently, moving from the highs of situations such as his birthday, to the lows of rememberence and guilt.

Harry looked up, realizing that the room had become tense in its silence, and saw everyone staring at him with concern. He looked over at Ron, then to Hermione, and as his eyes landed on her he felt them tingle, and a thought dashed through his mind. I wish I could help.

"Sorry," Harry muttered, trying to dismiss the uncomfortable silence. "I'm just kind of tired from the day... never really been sightseeing through Muggle London and all." He cracked a half-smile that seemed to put everyone in to room back into the scene. Lupin handed Harry a drink and started asking him about his day.

Everything about the party was beyond Harry's fondest dreams. His presents had been nothing short of excellent. The Weasley's gave him a cloak which would always keep him warm. From Fred & George, Harry received what appeared to be an empty box, but he was wary of believing that it was that simple of a prank. Ron gave him a set of Quidditch goggles that could change to fit the prescription for any pair of eyeglasses. Hermione's present was a book about hands on teaching techniques. When he asked, she explained it was just in case he found himself wishing for the times teaching the Dumbledore's Army.

The gifts he received were numerous and thoughtful. Everyone had seemed to put in a genuine effort to make up for all the lost birthday's Harry had suffered. The party lasted long into the night, and by the time the night was over, he felt loved in a way that he had never felt before.

There was a comfort within him about the people around him now that had not been there before, and he was glad of it. As he drifted to sleep, he smiled as the thought of his two best friends crossed his mind.

I have the best friends in the world.

* * * *

Harry was in a much better mood the rest of the week, and for the first time in a long time, he simply enjoyed himself. Though most of his time was spent indoors at Grimmauld, he did not feel trapped as he had before. Rather he felt free, spending time with his friends, forgetting many of his own troubles.

That morning Hermione was berating Ron once again for not having started on his homework.

"But Hemione, school is almost a month away," Ron whined, grabbing a pastry from the table.

"The homework this year is very involved," Hermione chided, "and besides, you're the only one of us who hasn't finished it yet." She turned to Harry for a moment and beamed at him in admiration. Ron passed him a dirty look, almost as if he was betrayed.

"I just had nothing else to do," Harry explained. Both Hermione and Ron seemed to dismiss this answer, though for quite different reasons.

"But Transfiguration is so dull," Ron whined, taking a bite of his pastry. Hermione got a flustered look on her face, as if someone had insulted her, and seemed as if she were torn.

"If I was of age," she said slowly, her fingers twitching, "I'd transfigure your pastry into a spider and show you just how dull transfiguration can be." Ron sputtered, nearly choking on his breakfast, and looked at the pastry in his hand as if to make sure it had not sprouted legs. Harry suppressed a laugh and grabbed a pastry for himself. Ron was about to issue a retort when Kingsley walked into the room.

"Good morning Harry," he said in a mildly professional tone. "Hermione, Ron." He turned back to Harry. "Today is August 10th Harry, and Dumbledore sent me to escort you to the ministry."

Harry wondered for a moment why that date seemed so familiar when he realized that today was the reading of Sirius' will. He didn't know what to say, which was fine as he didn't really feel like saying much.

"The ministry?" Hermione asked. "Why would Harry need to visit the ministry?"

Harry realized that he had forgotten to tell Ron and Hermione of his appointment, although to be fair he had forgotten about it all together.

"Sirius' will," Harry explained. Kingsley nodded and Ron gave Harry an odd look.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. Harry sighed.

"To be honest, I forgot." Harry had enjoyed forgetting. The world was much easier for him to enjoy when he forgot about the things looming over him. His two friends studied him; Ron with doubt, Hermione with... Harry wasn't quite sure. Sorrow? Sympathy?

"Well," she started evenly, "I'm sure that he left you something nice." She gave him a small, comforting hug before turning back to Ron. "And this would be the perfect time for you to start your homework." Ron rolled his eyes and, giving Hermione a defeated look, turned back to Harry.

"Hurry back, she'll have me cleaning the place like an elf if you're too long." Hermione gave Ron a light swat in the back of his head, and Harry laughed lightly before spinning back to Kingsley.

"Alright, let's go," Harry said solemnly. Kingsley nodded and they walked over to the fireplace, each declaring their destination. The spinning darkness had barely faded and Harry was already feeling a wave of emotion sweep over him at the sight of the entryway to the Ministry.

The pair turned to their left and walked over to the security counter as they passed the fountain which Harry had been intrigued by the first time he had been here.

"Hello there, Eric," Kingsley volunteered. "Just headed to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for an appointment." Eric nodded and turned to Harry, finally noticing who the visitor was.

"My word," Eric started. "Certainly have seen you a few times." Harry knew that the man had meant it in a joking manner, but Harry could help the surge of... anger that overcame him at the man's comment. It's not as if Harry wanted to be here, or had wanted to be here any of the previous times he'd entered the Ministry.

"If I could have your wand?" Eric said, holding out his hand. Harry felt compelled to tell Eric just where he could put his wand for a moment, but slowly, grudgingly, handed the wand over to him.

The official put the wand on the odd device he had seen last year, and turned to Harry with the paper it produce. "11 inches, Holly, Phoenix core?" Harry simply nodded and held out his hand for Eric to replace the wand.

As the two left the security booth and began to wait for a lift, Harry pulled back to when he had first received the letter about Sirius' will. It made him feel dimmer the longer he thought about it, but a sudden realization struck Harry, and the bottom seemed to fall out from his stomach. Harry had the understanding even if his mind could not form the words for several seconds, and an anger began to bubble in him, like one of Neville's potions.

Dumbledore is reading the will, Harry seethed in his mind. He had thought about the Headmaster several times over the summer, never with a positive outlook, but still, he had felt almost a weary indifference to him previously, as if Dumbledore had become a necessary nuisance that you put up with because you had to.

But Harry felt far from indifferent right now. His anger was rising at the thought of Dumbledore reading Sirius' will. Sirius' will! Harry still blamed Dumbledore for a large part of... the current situation, but reading Sirius' will just seemed wrong somehow.

Harry felt a gentle push on his back and realized that while he had been in his own world of thought they had caught a lift and arrived at the proper floor. Kingsley gently guided Harry to the room which they were headed to, and when Harry got there he found something that appeared to be a small conference room of sorts.

There at the head of the table sat Dumbledore, looking weary and apprehensive as Harry had ever seen him, and for some reason Harry's anger melted at the sight. The sparkle in the Headmaster's eyes was gone. Harry did not know why, but the realization that Dumbledore seemed deeply affected by something, quite possibly the task at hand, quashed Harry's anger, and for the second time in the last few weeks, Harry came to an important, yet surprisingly startling conclusion: Dumbledore was human too.

Harry slowly took his seat at the opposite end of the table. There was a goblin in the room, no doubt from Gringott's, as well as Kingsley, who remained standing next to Harry's chair.

"Very well then," the goblin rasped. He lifted a very large stack of envelopes onto table in front of the Headmaster. "The top envelope is the will to be executed. The rest are contents of the will." The goblin stepped back and let the old wizard begin to open the topmost envelope.

"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore began. Harry startled slightly at the address, as if he had not been expecting Dumbledore to speak.

"Hello," Harry muttered, then slowly he added, "sir." Dumbledore's face fell slightly at the response, but he continued to remove the letter which was contained within the envelope.

Dumbledore cleared his throat as he unfolded the letter and began reading in the way that only he could.

"To my legacy:

"Contained herein are my wishes and last words should any unfortunate event befall me. If it is Dumbledore who is reading this will, I ask as the first part of my will that everyone except Harry shall leave the room with no exceptions."

Dumbledore set down the letter slowly and as Harry looked up from the table to the Headmaster's face he saw something that he had never quite seen before: Dumbledore looked hurt.

He collected himself and Kingsley warrily accompanied Dumbledore to the door. He turned.

"The will said everyone," he said to the goblin. The goblin looked nastily at the Auror, but put up no resistance as he made his way for the door. Once Harry was left alone in the room, he suddenly felt disconnected. He would not be pulled through this by others who simply were doing their part, he was going to have to do this himself.

The resolve came remarkably quickly, and Harry walked over to the will, which had been left where Dumbledore had sat. He picked it up and read from where Dumbledore had left off.

"Harry,

"This is my will. It will become an official record after this reading, so please understand that anyone may know the contents of this particular letter once the will has been executed.

"I updated my will once a week while I was here at Grimmauld. Nothing else to do really, but it was a lot less of a morbid task than I thought it would be originally when Dumbledore first encouraged me.

"Dumbledore... I sent him out of the room as my last word, Harry. He is a great man, make no mistake, but he is also very stubborn and convinced of his own flawlessness, much like me and your father were. It is my hope that by refusing to allow him to read my will, I will finally reach him, perhaps in a way that I could not while living.

"There is plenty which is still left to be said. I feel especially bad for you should this be the will that you read, as this past week is not the best time for me to kick the bucket. However, as I am sure you know somewhere deep inside you, I have been living as much without regret as possible this last year, and I wish for you to do the same.

"Regret is a funny thing Harry. It is so natural and unnoticed, yet it consumes you. It possesses you in a way that no dark wizard can. I truly hope that you can understand that no matter how I died, I died knowing that I fulfilled my promise to your parents, and I fulfilled my promise to myself.

"There is much yet that you need to hear, that I need to be there so I can tell you, and yet I am not. As I am not there, I have bequeathed to you the letters with which this will comes, each addressed differently. Several are for you, however many are for others as well. And yes, I left one for Dumbledore.

"Please give these letters to their intended recipients when you feel they are ready to fully understand themselves. Each letter contains honesty that you can only expect from a a dead man, and so I feel it would not be wise for anyone to read it until they are prepared.

"The materials which my legacy has left me I leave to you. The first letter you will open shall explain in more detail, however, please understand that you must also only open your letters when the correct time comes. Each letter will only do you the good I intend at exactly the right time.

"I love you Harry. I love as much as one man can ever really love another, and I fear that you shall not understand that quite yet. Your parents gave their lives because they loved you. I gave mine for the same reasons. You are known by many as an orphan, as the boy who had no parents to love him.

"But that is not true Harry."

Harry startled in surprise at what Sirius had just wrote, tears now rolling off his cheeks. He continued.

"But that is not true Harry. Your mother and father showed you a love than many parents never can, and you have many more parents than you realize. Sometimes I felt like I was your father, others I felt like an older brother. But the point is that you have a family. You are proof of that in that you live. Even as your family doesn't even have their own lives anymore, they have you.

"That's a powerful thing Harry. Because you exist, your parents and your friends continue to live. That is more important to understand than anything else you can possibly know. We all die, Harry. But very few of us only truly live when we die.

"Please sign below, (once the others come back in), so that you may receive the inheritance. I leave you a part of myself in this. Please do not throw it away.

"Padfoot

"PS: Say hello to Crookshanks for me."

Harry set the letter down and wept. He did not cry. Crying was what children did when they were stung by a bee or when their feelings were hurt. Harry was weeping in a way that only a grown person can when faced with a reality they had only just accepted.

He did not know how long he sat there, tears rolling down his face, but eventually he simply finished, as if he ran out of tears which he could produce, and walked over to the door, wiping his face dry.

"You can come back in," Harry whispered, opening the door ever so slightly. The three shuffled back into the room, moving to their previous positions, as Harry walked back over to the read letter.

He grabbed the quill next to the stack of envelopes, and stared at the line beneath the letter for a moment. As the three watched him silently, he moved the quill over the paper, silently forming his name.

Harry James Potter

He felt satisfaction in seeing his name there in its fullness. He had never before signed with his middle name, but he felt it somehow appropriate at the moment, as if it's what Sirius would have wanted. Dumbledore offered a gentle smile that told Harry he still felt hurt at being sent out of the room.

"You can all read his will now... it doesn't matter if you do." Harry moved towards the stack of envelopes to gather them and was approached by the goblin. Harry stopped and looked at him as the goblin reached into a pocket and retrieved two key's.

"This," he said indicating the larger key, "is for your new vault. This," he paused, emphasizing the smaller key, "is for your new house." Harry was flabbergasted for a moment. His new house? He thought back to the letter. Sirius left him everything... that must have included Grimmauld as well. Harry somewhat bitterly took the two keys and pocketed them, then picked up the large stack of envelopes on the table.

Harry turned and looked at Dumbledore who was silently reading the letter, and as he watched two things happened; things that made much of Harry's anger towards the older man evaporate. First, Dumbledore began to ever so slightly tear. Second, Harry saw the twinkle in his eye return as he finished the letter.

Dumbledore looked up at Harry when he was finished with a very peculiar expression, as if he had something to say but didn't know what. Harry simply nodded and turned to Kingsley.

"Let's go," Harry intoned, walked out the door. Kingsley followed close behind and they made their way back to Harry's new house.