Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Horror of Harry's Horcrux
8. Missives Revelations and the Riders of Apocalypse
Letters and food and replies, see original prologue for details.
?Blocked
/8. Missives Revelations and the Riders of Apocalypse/
/HARRY JAMES POTTER HOW DARE YOU SUBJECT ME TO THIS VERBAL THRASHING THAT I HAD TO ACCEPT FROM MY FATHER, HE WAS HORRIBLY THOROUGHT IN THE THRASHING THAT HE GAVE ME. I'M TOO YOUNG WAS THE FIRST PART THAT HE THREW AT ME WHICH I QUICKLY BATTED AWAY. IT WAS A HORRIBLE SITUATION AND THAT IT PUTTING IT MILDLY, HARRY./ I'm tired of writing in capitals so you'll have to be satisfied with a regular verbal thrashing from your best friend in the world and girlfriend.
Yes, that's right, I'm your girlfriend and my first order, as such, is to put you in your place by putting this to me. Harry, you do have to understand, that when it comes to this kind of decisions, I have to share it with mum and dad. They're my sounding boards so that I don't have to make rash or hasty decisions when it comes to my life. Before you ask, I did not consider you a rash decision. It was rather quick, but I did have to talk to them about this, since I'm underage and gain their permission to pursue my heart.
Now, don't think for a single instance of a second that you are getting out of the place that I have personally placed you. So that you don't forget, you're in the doghouse. Yes, I will use regular (Muggle) terms because I know for a fact that you understand them clearly.
Harry, my dad is very protective of me and that is mostly my fault because I had rarely taken care of myself while at primary school. I did put in somewhat of an effort and while I was mostly... OK, completely unsuccessful in gaining friends there I found that while I was there that perhaps studying was a bit more important. It was important so that I could better find my place in the school and really my place in life. I placed so much faith in the instruction that I was given there that it, naturally, carried over to Hogwarts for a minute second until I met you.
I was abandoned, Harry. I didn't have anyone before hand and after being selected to go to a prestigious school for what I had never placed faith in being real, well, I was just lost. That was until you made a very rash decision to come rushing without thought of your own personal safety and make the effort to save me. I am extremely thankful for that decision, by the way.
HOWEVER, DO NOT THINK THAT YOU WILL, FOR ONE MINUTEST OF SECONDS GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE PUT ME THROUGH, HARRY JAMES POTTER. Daddy was horrid and that is the abridged version. He teased me to no ends, but luckily he remembered seeing you our second year and with that he had a smile on his face during my entire time. I would like to think that I would rather face the Cruciatus but you having already been through it would have to gauge a response in regards to it.
I love you, Harry James Potter. You have been my friend for four years now. You've given me a bit of grief here and there, but for the most part you have been totally and completely forthcoming with your intentions on being just that.
After awhile of giving me quite a ration of shite(Yes, I know I've never ever said anything like this whatsoever and if you decide to let Ron see that, well let me just say that you will be more than regretting it. He's been equally loquacious on more than one occasion and I have my due, Harry), he finally caved and told me that you were a good choice and as long as I knew what I was doing then I had his blessing.
So, now, as your girlfriend I demand to be properly kissed upon seeing you again. You had better find your Gryffindor courage to do such and with vigor. That being said, what are your plans for the summer, and by saying that I mean what you plan on doing now that Mr. Riddle has decided to violate my, now, boyfriend.
Harry, I know what you come from. Having met Remus and Sirius, I know that you come from a family. Yes, I mean family because both Sirius and Remus are your family. What I personally think that you should do is look at your resources for what they are. You have had Gred and Forge as your friends since first year and they are just as devious as your parents and their friends. Personally, I don't think Voldemort would know what hit him if he was the unlucky recipient of a Marauder prank war, and I think if you were more than a little enthusiastic with what you could possibly do, well, you would completely demoralize his group. Certainly Wormtail would cave within the first three months and you have my five galleon bet to that.
So it is it. I love you. I accept you as my boyfriend and you had better live up to the words of your last letter. Do you take my bet? Will you actively pursue the code of your ancestors.
Lastly, I think that we need a plan for a pursuit of mine. I think that magic revealed itself to certain families for a reason and those families may have paved pathways for that ability to pass its way to other families. It may be that reason alone why we have squibs and muggle-born witches and wizards. But it may be for other reasons as well. Call it natural selection or evolution but we're here for a reason and if the ones that call themselves purebloods had it there way within a hundred years the evolution of the species would find that evolution eliminated for this particular pathway gone. Kind of like what your so-called Aunt Marge refers to breeding. They're breeding themselves into instinction. My question would be who is responsible for it? It would definitely be someone whom doesn't believe that the current pureblood ranks are worthy.
Harry, if I'm right, then that means that it has to be Tom. He's still just a half-blood and I don't mean to be offensive about it but at the same time according to what you have told me he would have a reason, wouldn't he? Perhaps we should research a bit more into his motivations. I would say we should ask the headmaster, but knowing that he went to Hogwarts, I'm not sure that we would get the best data for our research. Perhaps we should research the other people that actually were his classmates to get a more uniformed response to what we hope.
I'm sorry, Harry. I got off on a bit of a tangent in regards to what we should do without asking you for feedback. Ultimately, I want to advise you that I went through hell tonight with my dad. With going through that, I remained firm and stood fast with my Gryffindor courage and he saw my resolve in regards to you. I am still your best friend, and hopefully your girlfriend, if you'll have me.
With Love,
From Hermione
Harry read this letter over and over again. He couldn't help the sheer joy that it brought him and he wouldn't want to help it because this response had been exactly what he had hoped that it would be. Ultimately, he didn't want her to have a confrontation with her father nor her mum, but at the same time, having gained their acceptance in the relationship had brought more to the relationship then just her acceptance. He was elated. It brought him utter bliss and with that he resolved himself, finally to his other tasks at hand.
He rushed towards his desk, or at least as much as his recently battered and physically abused body would allow. Harry had been exercising his body as much as possible. With Dobby's help with a diet that included high carbohydrates and lots of proteins, he had allowed his body to take on more mass and more energy. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't rely on potions to fix his aches and pains because they would reverse the results that he was hoping for, a stronger body.
Harry knew that he had only a week before he would have to leave this place, but at the same time would not give up this diet for anything. If that meant that he wouldn't eat what was provided for him once he reached Grimmauld Place then so be it. He would continue to work out his body to the point of exhaustion. He would continue to take his vitamins as well as the herbal supplements that was provided by the holistic chemist down the way and if not available due to location would find a chemist who would service him wholly.
At this point however, he decided to break away from the norm from which the planned had been used for from the future and write out a plan for which it would be used for, going forward.
5:00 AM - 6:30 AM: meditation, working on incorporating Occlumency and Legilimency training and building shields, also incorporating data from Future me.
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: preparing breakfast for the Dursleys.
7:00AM - 8:00 AM: Eating breakfast with Dobby and learning all I can about elf magic and customs not assimilated from future me.
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Physical workout including but not limited to push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, jogging around Surrey, hand-stand push-ups, endurance six-inch killers, and four count diamond push ups.
12:00PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch with Dobby
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Dursley chores.
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Tea with Dobby and again focusing on elvish and wizarding customs unaware of prior to assimilation.
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: preparing dinner for the Dursleys.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Dinner with Dobby.
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: washing dishes for Dursleys.
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Evening job through Surrey.
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM: Occlumency and Legilimency training wind down for evening.
8:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Sleep preparation and tomorrow planning.
9:00 PM - 5:00 AM: Sleep.
Harry wrote down this schedule and realized immediately that this would be a lot to do, physically. He had never really exercised before in his life. There was the rather frequent examples of him having to flee for his livelihood, however, that was due to Dudley's Harry-hunting excursions. This may even be incorporated into Harry's plan, ultimately, as he rarely felt that anything was doing had been worthwhile until real goals had been achieved.
Harry promised himself later that he would approach Dudley with his plan on getting into shape, leaving his aunt and uncle completely unaware and his cousin well paid for his efforts in helping him achieve these goals.
Harry noticed the clock and decided that he would answer Hermione's Letter in the morning. Each and every muscle that Harry had worked now ached beyond comprehension and with that soreness brought early fatigue. As soon as his head hit the pillow, sleep came from exhaustion.
Unfortunately for Harry the sleep that he managed to find was fitful, and brought to an early end by the tapping that he heard coming from his only bedroom window. Grumpily he moaned and groaned with tension as he crossed the room to see that Hedwig had returned from her evening hunt with something more than just her meal as she had a letter, again, ready for Harry to read. He would have put it off had he not immediately recognized the fancy script of his godfather.
Dear Harry,
I know that I hadn't written in a while and for that I sincerely apologize. A Marauder should never forget his pack. Harry, Dumbledore called an emergency meeting with concerns of your recent increase in power. This has got me worried. I do not want to loose faith in the headmaster but at the same point I think that taking a bit of analysis and deductive reasoning when dealing with anything that he says or does is not advice that I would not impart upon you.
Had he known all and been everywhere he would have known that I would have never betrayed you parents, but like all people: Muggle, Witch or Wizard, he is human and as such is not infallible. Neither am I or you, so I'm not trying to say I'm better, when in reality I've been much worse.
Albus told me that you know this prophecy and for the most part I know a lot of it as your parents had shared it with me and was the primary reason why they had went into hiding. It's you or him who will win and I'm betting on you. You have my full support in whatever you do, but please remember to plan things out and take a logical and observant approach to planning out what you need to do rather than go off half-cocked as I'm frequently known for. I am trying to change that but old habits are hard to break away from
Harry, how are your aunt and uncle treating you? Again with the old habits but if you need a grim approach to dealing with their treatment, and I really do want to make sure that you're okay. I've talked with your friends, both Hermione and Ron, and believe it or not Albus Dumbledore and he has advised me, once I confronted him all right and proper, that their assessment of your conditions have been more than accurate.
Believe me Harry, if I could have been there for you from day one, I would have. I let my need for revenge from taking my best friends; in James and Lily, away that I let it cloud my judgment in needing to find and make Peter pay. The tears of utter frustration are flowing from me now as I have nothing but hate for my other former best friend. I don't understand, and more than that, I want to and that is what is eating me away and I'm sure that's what has happened to Moony and I can't take that away. It's maddening.
Harry, I don't think of you as James because I know that you're more of a prankster than he has ever been. You may not remember it but I, and Remus, most certainly do. Your aim is accurate to a fault and your ACCIDENTAL magic had given Lily, Remus and I hours of entertainment. This isn't the sort of thing that you share but you had a bit of a bond with dear ole dad and when it was time to change that rank ole nappy, well... It was always James duty to make sure that you were serviced properly or hell would come to pay.
Remember that Harry. I will not go into details for the simple decency sake of it all, but suffice it to say you were quite vengeful as a mini-toddler. You demanded daddy's attention to its fullest and if he was ill-prepared, well, you made sure that your demands were the utmost priority when the time had come.
We coined the phrase and made it legend for future mischief-makers, however, you perfected it being that future mischief-maker and left it for the previous to stand in quite and complete awe of you, in your wake.
I love you with all of my heart,
Snuffles
Sirius. The Siriusness of the entire letter brought him out of the depravity of the sleep that he so desperately needed into a silent lucidity that would not be begged off. Tears streamed down the young man's face but it was a selfish anguish that held the affirmation of mourning this very night. He didn't mourn for the loss of his parents or the heart-felt words that had streamed down the page. His pain was more to the very likes of jealousy towards his godfather.
He was jealous that Sirius could remember these good times when he was left, abandoned, with nothing more than the pan droppings of memories where he could hear his mum scream, 'Not Harry!' and nothing more. He wish to the utter gods of Odin, Corr, and the first mischief-maker himself Loki for the memories that his godfather had described. However, he knew that they would, quite simply, never come. He wouldn't remember them, or have a way of honoring them outside of the mirror and what had happened with Tom Riddle less than a month ago within the Priori Incantatem.
Harry could not recall the sound of his mother's or father's voice without that most recent of memories. He was void of the experience of knowing them and found himself wanting, when it came to memory recall. Now, however, he looked at; and found quite a bit of joy at, remembering the words that float upon the letter that he most recently had the pleasure of experiencing as he read along.
Unfortunately for Harry, the worst of all things possible could have happened, which at that point of time would be the flutter of owl wings as Pig broke the silence of the smallest room of number four Privet Drive. He, quite literally, bounced off of Harry's, still, sleep chest, and fell gingerly into his lap.
Harry looked at the completely exhausted owl as it breached his parameters of a safe distance, which was quite limited at this hour as Harry was quite determined to make his was back to the warmth, safely and solitude of the inner workings of his bed.
That being spoiled now already, he felt himself resigned to the fate that the letter that Pig carried with him would have to be read. He couldn't escape Ronald Bilius Weasley's unrequited and solemn rebuttal in his game of life attempt at matching people to chess pieces declaration and profession of love.
Harry looked at the letter that now sat upon his lap. Harry knew, without needing to know that the tiny owl would need a response and gave, without question, the most opportune place to roost. The tiny bird would not move without the time and knew that his best mate would need a response and that explained Pig hesitancy towards returning home. Harry also didn't have the heart to send the tiny and completely exhausted bird back home to Ottery St. Catchpole.
The only question for Harry at this point was to whether or not to open the letter that was waiting for her from Ron and get the inevitable over and done with or wait until tomorrow and let the poker cards fall where they may. He already knew that when he had called dibs off and made it an every man for himself sort of situation that he wouldn't be putting things off.
Harry also realized that by reading Sirius' letter that there were quite the bit of 'words of wisdom' that he hadn't been prepared to take that were contained within the musty pages. It was time to plan. Carefully, he took the letter, and when Pig didn't immediately leave understood that the diminutive bird was under instructions to await a reply.
Harry,
Hey mate, I know that I was told to await a response from you because of what happened to Cedric, but I couldn't. I know that's probably wrong but at the same time I had to. I needed to know that you were okay at this point in time and I knew that it would be bad form for me to wait. With that, I knew that I would hear from certain parties about that but frankly I could care less. You, my friend, are more important.
I hate that you have to go to your aunt and uncle's home and do this, that, and the other thing. It bothers me that you will have no fun while you're supposed to be on summer's holiday because I know that while I'm expected to do a few chores that you are doing quite a few more than I've even though were possible to be assigned to me.
At this point I have quite a few things that are running rampant in my mind, but the most frequent is why I was found at the bottom of the great lake during your second task when that task was designed to be the one thing that you were supposed to treasure above all other things.
I find myself ashamed. I'm ashamed because in the greatest sense I betrayed the trust of a brother in arms. I know that we were not at war at the time but in retrospect we really were because of what had happened at the conclusion of the Tri-wizard tournament. You won and did so on complete nerve. Sure you didn't kill He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, according to Dobby, but he's supposedly the most devious and evil wizard according to everyone else. You defied him, and beat him by getting away and I'm very VERY glad that you did. I don't know what I would have done without my best mate still alive.
I'm a slacker. I know that I should probably listen to Hermione but at times she really and truly gets on my nerves. I think that she does it on purpose and my initial and gut reaction is to be utterly reactionary. I think that I proved that when we were sitting there utterly miserable during the Yule Ball.
She was having an absolutely grand time with Victor and looking rather un-Hermione-like on the greater scale and I ripped her through and through on a rather thorough scale by what I said. I also, as I normally didn't see my boundaries, didn't know when to quit. Unfortunately, I didn't know when to quit when the whole Ball was over with and you walked in on us when I let the tips of my toes rest quite uncomfortably in the back of my throat and she lashed out, not only at me, but you as well.
Listen, mate, I'm not completely dense. I know that you had not wanted to participate in that bloody tournament at that point, but the rage that I felt at her betraying us by trying her very best to make a go at friendship with the other schools clouded my judgment. I'm very territorial. I look at life much like I look at chess. Unfortunately at that time I had quite a few games going on at the same time.
Hermione is your friend. Yeah, she's mine as well, but I've put more than a few pieces in the way to muck things up and a lot of those things is my own pride and with that being the case I've bullocks it all to bloody hell and back. I know you're more than a friend to her and that has probably bullocks our friendship as well and I just wanted to pluck my Gryffindor courage up and apologize for it.
I know that I've already said that I'm not going to write her over the summer and at the same point you said that you would. I don't know how to apologize to her for her but if you could, would you please let her know that I didn't mean to push her so far away. I do really look towards her much like I do towards yourself and I hope that I didn't muck up a perfectly good friendship because I took things too far.
I don't have a lot of friends Harry. I wasn't a very good friend to her. I know that. The only reason I went with you to that bloody lavatory to help was because of you and you know it but I didn't want to see harm come to her. You know that. We saved her but at the same point you had more of the bloody Gryffindor courage at that point of time and I would have never thought to jump atop a bloody troll and put my wand in its nose.
She's always helped us, ALWAYS! You've always been my voice of reason, ALWAYS! Please don't think MORE little of me because I had a VERY Ron moment and said something before I thought. I'm beating myself over it every minute of every hour of every day. I just want my best mates, here; at my home, doing the very things that we would be doing in the common room.
I want to feel normal and right now I don't.
Absolutely Sincerely your Best Mate,
Ron
Harry looked at the letter in complete horror. This isn't the way things happened before. There was a lot to think about but he couldn't think because there was too much and quite frankly he was exhausted. The letter that he read was a complete relief but at this point he didn't feel relief.
Harry himself, when he called dibs on a relationship with Hermione, had felt a pang of jealousy. He wondered to himself if that was the right feeling to feel, now. He knew that the relationship that he had with Ron would have been different if the reaction that he had expected from Ron would be different. Unfortunately, with the letter that he had received, it wasn't the expected response.
Morning - Number Four Privet Drive - Saturday
"FREAK, MAKE BREAKFAST NOW!!!" Harry's fat whale of an uncle bellowed from the other side of his secured bedroom door which was immediately followed by the familiar sound of a series of locks being rapidly placed in the unlocked position.
Harry tumbled out of his bed rather unceremoniously to land atop the bare wooden floor of his sparsely furnished bedroom with a grumble that was due more towards the lack of sleep that he managed due to his rather late night of missive perusal. He righted himself before fumbling for his glasses and them stumbled himself towards the doorway.
Upon entering the hallway, he could make out from the closed bathroom door that the water had just been started for a shower, and he lazily turned and made his way down the stairs, through the living room, crossing the dining room and finally into the kitchen. He fell into the familiar auto-pilot of removing the eggs, rashers of bacon and bangers, as well as tomatoes. He quickly fried them up one way and then the other in a manor which spoke well of his expertise in the kitchen.
He returned back towards the refrigerator and retrieved an onion, bell pepper, cheese and mushrooms and began quickly dicing to prepare his aunt Petunia's standard omelet, which she always just referred to as adequate or sub-par but edible.
Upon finishing the cooking he quickly loaded Vernon and Dudley's plate, each, with six eggs, 6 rashers of bacon, six bangers and two whole fried tomatoes, before setting his aunt's omelet and absent-mindedly placing a wandless warming spell on them before heading back to the serenity of the smallest bedroom at Number Four Privet Drive.
It was only five minutes after he returned to his bedroom that he heard the water stop in the lavatory across the hall, and then; once again, the series of locks being systematically returned their previous position of where they were prior to Harry's audible morning alarm that he likened to that of the mating song of the Northern Pacific Humpback whale.
With a soft pop that Harry had hardly had time to recognize, a diminutive in stature; but big in pride with a job well done elf by the name of Dobby dropped off a plate packed to the point that when Harry saw it made a lung for it for a fear that it would topple over.
The wondrous smells that came from his desk finally brought Harry out of his sleep-addled mind and he beheld the eggs(over easy), bangers fresh melons, and waffles with a pitcher of iced pumpkin juice just off to the side with what could only be awe.
"I have to get his recipes!" Harry exclaimed to himself, but at the same point, and to his shame, Harry hadn't noticed that Dobby hadn't quite let the room at all.
"I'm sorry Master Harry Potter sir, but I cannot be givings house elves recipes. They were mum elf's and are to be passed down. I hope that you'll be understanding?" Dobby asked hopefully as he attempted vainly to look inconspicuous while straightening up the small room.
"That's quite alright Dobby, I understand. You're cooking it top notch, however... Just so you know. Thanks." Harry said honest in his resolution that he would just have to figure it out on his own. He wouldn't be sharing those recipes with the Dursleys, that was for sure.
Harry, all in all, took nearly forty-five minutes diving into this monstrous breakfast before beginning his work out. That in and of itself took a mind of its own as he had let time get away from him and before he knew it had worked out through lunch and found Dobby in front of him looking rather put out.
"Is something wrong Dobby?" Harry asked the little elf, noticing the near blind rage that was burning behind the great big eyes.
"Dobby is not making lunch for Harry Potter only to have it go to waste. Harry Potter sir must eat his lunch before he can be properly served his tea!" Huffed, a very put-out looking, Dobby. Harry sighed deeply at this, and the memories of his life-long companion in arms with the shorter but very power elf reminded him of what his friend was truly capable of.
Truth be told, should the house elves be allowed to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, well they could be sorted in any of the houses. The true natures of the founder's beliefs resided in all of the elves in great supply, however, the Hufflepuff loyalty was something that the house elves had in spades.
Resigned, yet again, Harry turned to his desk to see a single plate with a huge roast beef sandwich with all the trimmings, crisps and a tall glass of what appeared to me iced lemonade. Upon drinking the concoction it was confirmed to have been identified correctly, to Harry's delight. The sandwich was fresh and hot, and thinly sliced as well atop freshly baked pumpernickel bread. The crisps were a plain potato, however dusted lightly with salt and malt vinegar.
Once again, Harry sat before an empty plate with a feeling of contentment that he had never felt before while within the walls of Number Four Privet Drive. He sat back in his chair at his desk and re-read Hermione's letter. Once again, a smile broke across his face at the fact that he did now, in fact, have a girlfriend. It was a feeling of completion that he had never experienced. His other self had, in fact been in love with her, as well, but the feeling now was much different because it was filled with a hope that hadn't been present in the other time line.
'This time will be different.' He thought to himself as he quickly grabbed a quill and parchment and thought about his reply. Then, after moments sitting there, with his hand hovering menacingly above his inkwell, he dipped the tip of his quill and began.
Dear Hermione,
First of all let me start this by apologizing for putting you on the spot. I, once again, looked towards what I had hoped to accomplish without looking at the bigger picture and as a direct result, you were made to suffer, even if it was in jest from you dad. I am very glad that you've accepted to be my girlfriend and I am glad for that.
Let's get onto some other subjects for a second as I'm sure that you wouldn't want me to change too much but let's get onto the tasks that we have set before us. First, I think that you're on the right track as far as the evolutionary process of us magical people. However I think that perhaps rather than allow it to occur naturally we've divided our culture for survival sake and has become what we now find ourselves in. This is worthy of further thought but we have more pressing things to look at that need to be at the forefront.
Hermione, I need you to find all the books that you can on Occlumency and Legilimency. Occlumency is the art of being able to guard one's mind against outside attack. Legilimency is its counterpart, the art of invading one's mind. I need you to be well versed and practicing this if at all possible. I will send Snuffles an inquiry in regards to what he might have available to him where he current resides and have him send it to you.
Next, I think that you should also concentrate on planning. I know that you're more introspective than I am. Where I would tread where angels fear without a second thought when I believe that a friend or love one might be in danger, you're much more thorough in what to do and that may be the difference between living and dying at the hands of death eaters.
Also, I shall be by your home after a weeks time, under watch of friends of our beloved headmaster. I have recently come into some knowledge myself about the art of warding and have been given the opportunity to do so at the Dursleys, your home and the Burrow, as well.
I can't wait to see you. Until then.
All my love,
Harry
Harry looked over the letter, before sealing it, once he was safe that he was satisfied with what he had written. There were other things that he had wished to say to her but found that it would probably be better said in person rather than in writing. Placing her letter at the corner of his desk, he turned attention again to the letter from Sirius. Having re-read it with a much more lucid mind, he took another piece of parchment out and began his reply.
Dear Snuffles,
I think that at this point in time that it is time for the Marauders to reform. Now, before you think that this is something that an adolescent looking for fun and pranks in the light of the current adversity we are facing; well yeah, there's that. There's also the fact that we're looking at an oncoming war between Voldemort and the rest of us to the likes that the wizarding world has never seen.
What do we do when we're faced with an enemy that we've never been able to defeat? Prank the bloody hell out of his lot and get them caught, that's what. But, we need to be careful and cautious and plan the hell out of things. Obviously I don't fully trust the headmaster, having my fore-knowledge, however, that doesn't necessarily mean that his heart isn't in the right place.
The road to hell was paved with good intentions, however, and I don't have time for purgatory at the moment, Snuffles. I know that Professor Dumbledore would face the killing curse and the Cruciatus curse and use transfiguration and conjuring to place barriers in their path while stunning an opponent. This isn't going to work in a war where the potential for an enemy with superior numbers is all throwing killing curses or has a division that is solely throwing back enervate while throwing killing curses.
The bottom line is that you cannot think that one can win a war fighting like a policing action. The French and American learned that during The Vietnam Conflict, and the Order should have learned that during Voldemort's first attempted reign of terror. You have to be decisive.
Snuffles, I would like you and Moony to work on the Marauder's Map version's 2, 3 and 4. Basing them on Hogsmead, Diagon Alley and the Ministry of Magic. I think that it would be a good idea if we had people focusing on these areas in specific as they will be key targets. Additionally, it may be important to key them to known death eater's as well and set up an alarm on the maps, should any or all of these key's be tripped.
I'm fine. The Muggles are the same as they always are when I'm with them, but for the most part, as long as all of the chores they assign are complete then I'm left to myself. I'm training my body and Dobby the house elf is insuring that I'm properly fed. Nothing more for me to do than train and think.
Additionally, due to my fore-knowledge I have a demand of you. If you find yourself in battle with death eaters, do not speak to them, especially Bellatrix Lestrange. I know that she's your cousin, as is Narcissa Malfoy, but trust me on this. It would not be the time to distract yourself from getting the job done and gloating at the same time. Take her out first, gloat while she's in chains before the Wizengamot. If there are things that come to light later after the heat of battle or in the background, fine, but in battle, your enemy is your enemy and deserves no mercy. The point to anyone's side in war is to become the victor. I hope that you can promise me that.
Lastly, I suggested that my girlfriend; Hermione, and this is just between you and I, and Remus if you see him, that she might contact you and see if you have access to books on Occlumency and Legilimency. Please search your library and have them available for her and look for a letter shortly.
You loving godson,
Harry
Harry looked down at what he wrote to his godfather with more than a little trepidation. He hoped that his godfather would look at the words that he reads here and see more than the ramblings of a fourteen year old boy whom had watched a friend murdered and look at it as a real and viable solution to the upcoming dilemma the wizarding world was facing. He placed the letter in an envelope, sealed it and placed it atop the letter he had addressed to Hermione.
This was becoming repetitious but Harry, wanting to have Ron's letter fresh in his mind, re-read the letter and decided that a different approach was needed. Taking a fresh parchment, he dipped the tip of his quill into his inkwell and began writing furiously.
Ron,
I'm glad that you didn't want to wait for permission to write. It shows that you're still capable of thinking for yourself, even on summer hols. Yeah, I know what you mean about me being here. I'd much rather be hanging out with you and Hermione, but at this point I'm already working on the summer homework and I've had plenty of time to think about what happened at the end of last year.
Ron, the chores here aren't a bother. I'm used to it and it has made the time pass relatively quickly. I know what you mean about the lake, and you have to face the fact on a couple of things. One, you're fifteen and I'm fourteen. I'd never really been allowed to have any friends while I was growing up so you're my first friend, and that put Hermione at being my second. The two of you are my best friends.
Ron, I got away from Voldemort on luck and nerve as well. It just happened that our wands are brother wands and enacted a spell called Priori Incantatem, which prevented his killing curse and surrounded us with a cage of pure magic. I don't know how many times that can last, but I may have to look at getting a second wand so that I can duel properly should I find myself in that kind of situation again. And, let's be honest, he's been after me every year since I accepted to attend Hogwarts, so the chance that there will be another time is probably great.
Ron, you're not really a slacker, you just don't apply yourself and you like to have fun. It's part of being a kid. You do apply yourself to things that you believe are important, like Quidditch and chess. I do hope that you decide to go out for the team next year and that you're practicing at home.
Speaking of Chess, you know you're brilliant at that and at strategy and I need you to start working on a side project and apply your thoughts of strategy towards what what we're learning at school and how we could use it should we face a battle. You know that it is coming and I think that with you applying the strategy that you often use on the chess board into real life we might have an advantage in the future.
Ron, this is where I have something to tell you and I'm not sure how you'll take it. I've asked Hermione to be my girlfriend and she's accepted. I did it just over the summer through letters sent to Hermione. I'll have you know her father gave her a bit of a hard time about it because we're so young but he did agree to allow me to date her. I hope that you're alright with this.
We're all a good team, and yeah, you've stuck your foot in your mouth with the arguing with her more than enough times, but at the same time, I think that if you apply your strengths towards a worthwhile goal, such as helping with this stratagem, she'd be off of your back. I'll send her your regards as well as the apology.
I know that you said that you wouldn't write her but maybe a letter or two during the summer and offering the apology yourself would show the courage that your head and heart is in the right place towards repairing the friendship. Write soon and let me know what you think about what I said.
Your best mate,
Harry
Harry sealed the final letter and sighed. He hoped that the letter to Ron would go over well. He didn't really know whether it would make much of a difference, however he hoped that it would. The one thing that he was hesitant about was Ginny's reaction to the new dynamic of his relationship with Hermione. His future self recalled that she and Hermione had gotten closer this year, but at the same time it was due to Ginny seeking advice on how to get Harry to notice her.
He hoped that this wouldn't drive a wedge between him and the Weasley's but at the same time there was something that still needed to be done about Ginny. He had to find a way to get the Horcrux out of her head.
Walking over to Hedwig, he tied the letters to tether on her leg. Hedwig rubbed her head against Harry's cheek and playfully nipped at his ear before taking off into the night from his sole window. Harry looked at the clock, not realizing the time. With a pop, Dobby had another plate waiting on his desk. This time it was roast chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables.
"Dobby, you're fattening me up quite nicely. You know that?" Harry asked with a smirk.
"I am being a good house elf, Master Harry Potter sir." Dobby said with an equal smirk before popping away.
/HARRY JAMES POTTER HOW DARE YOU SUBJECT ME TO THIS VERBAL THRASHING THAT I HAD TO ACCEPT FROM MY FATHER, HE WAS HORRIBLY THOROUGHT IN THE THRASHING THAT HE GAVE ME. I'M TOO YOUNG WAS THE FIRST PART THAT HE THREW AT ME WHICH I QUICKLY BATTED AWAY. IT WAS A HORRIBLE SITUATION AND THAT IT PUTTING IT MILDLY, HARRY./ I'm tired of writing in capitals so you'll have to be satisfied with a regular verbal thrashing from your best friend in the world and girlfriend.
Yes, that's right, I'm your girlfriend and my first order, as such, is to put you in your place by putting this to me. Harry, you do have to understand, that when it comes to this kind of decisions, I have to share it with mum and dad. They're my sounding boards so that I don't have to make rash or hasty decisions when it comes to my life. Before you ask, I did not consider you a rash decision. It was rather quick, but I did have to talk to them about this, since I'm underage and gain their permission to pursue my heart.
Now, don't think for a single instance of a second that you are getting out of the place that I have personally placed you. So that you don't forget, you're in the doghouse. Yes, I will use regular (Muggle) terms because I know for a fact that you understand them clearly.
Harry, my dad is very protective of me and that is mostly my fault because I had rarely taken care of myself while at primary school. I did put in somewhat of an effort and while I was mostly... OK, completely unsuccessful in gaining friends there I found that while I was there that perhaps studying was a bit more important. It was important so that I could better find my place in the school and really my place in life. I placed so much faith in the instruction that I was given there that it, naturally, carried over to Hogwarts for a minute second until I met you.
I was abandoned, Harry. I didn't have anyone before hand and after being selected to go to a prestigious school for what I had never placed faith in being real, well, I was just lost. That was until you made a very rash decision to come rushing without thought of your own personal safety and make the effort to save me. I am extremely thankful for that decision, by the way.
HOWEVER, DO NOT THINK THAT YOU WILL, FOR ONE MINUTEST OF SECONDS GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE PUT ME THROUGH, HARRY JAMES POTTER. Daddy was horrid and that is the abridged version. He teased me to no ends, but luckily he remembered seeing you our second year and with that he had a smile on his face during my entire time. I would like to think that I would rather face the Cruciatus but you having already been through it would have to gauge a response in regards to it.
I love you, Harry James Potter. You have been my friend for four years now. You've given me a bit of grief here and there, but for the most part you have been totally and completely forthcoming with your intentions on being just that.
After awhile of giving me quite a ration of shite(Yes, I know I've never ever said anything like this whatsoever and if you decide to let Ron see that, well let me just say that you will be more than regretting it. He's been equally loquacious on more than one occasion and I have my due, Harry), he finally caved and told me that you were a good choice and as long as I knew what I was doing then I had his blessing.
So, now, as your girlfriend I demand to be properly kissed upon seeing you again. You had better find your Gryffindor courage to do such and with vigor. That being said, what are your plans for the summer, and by saying that I mean what you plan on doing now that Mr. Riddle has decided to violate my, now, boyfriend.
Harry, I know what you come from. Having met Remus and Sirius, I know that you come from a family. Yes, I mean family because both Sirius and Remus are your family. What I personally think that you should do is look at your resources for what they are. You have had Gred and Forge as your friends since first year and they are just as devious as your parents and their friends. Personally, I don't think Voldemort would know what hit him if he was the unlucky recipient of a Marauder prank war, and I think if you were more than a little enthusiastic with what you could possibly do, well, you would completely demoralize his group. Certainly Wormtail would cave within the first three months and you have my five galleon bet to that.
So it is it. I love you. I accept you as my boyfriend and you had better live up to the words of your last letter. Do you take my bet? Will you actively pursue the code of your ancestors.
Lastly, I think that we need a plan for a pursuit of mine. I think that magic revealed itself to certain families for a reason and those families may have paved pathways for that ability to pass its way to other families. It may be that reason alone why we have squibs and muggle-born witches and wizards. But it may be for other reasons as well. Call it natural selection or evolution but we're here for a reason and if the ones that call themselves purebloods had it there way within a hundred years the evolution of the species would find that evolution eliminated for this particular pathway gone. Kind of like what your so-called Aunt Marge refers to breeding. They're breeding themselves into instinction. My question would be who is responsible for it? It would definitely be someone whom doesn't believe that the current pureblood ranks are worthy.
Harry, if I'm right, then that means that it has to be Tom. He's still just a half-blood and I don't mean to be offensive about it but at the same time according to what you have told me he would have a reason, wouldn't he? Perhaps we should research a bit more into his motivations. I would say we should ask the headmaster, but knowing that he went to Hogwarts, I'm not sure that we would get the best data for our research. Perhaps we should research the other people that actually were his classmates to get a more uniformed response to what we hope.
I'm sorry, Harry. I got off on a bit of a tangent in regards to what we should do without asking you for feedback. Ultimately, I want to advise you that I went through hell tonight with my dad. With going through that, I remained firm and stood fast with my Gryffindor courage and he saw my resolve in regards to you. I am still your best friend, and hopefully your girlfriend, if you'll have me.
With Love,
From Hermione
Harry read this letter over and over again. He couldn't help the sheer joy that it brought him and he wouldn't want to help it because this response had been exactly what he had hoped that it would be. Ultimately, he didn't want her to have a confrontation with her father nor her mum, but at the same time, having gained their acceptance in the relationship had brought more to the relationship then just her acceptance. He was elated. It brought him utter bliss and with that he resolved himself, finally to his other tasks at hand.
He rushed towards his desk, or at least as much as his recently battered and physically abused body would allow. Harry had been exercising his body as much as possible. With Dobby's help with a diet that included high carbohydrates and lots of proteins, he had allowed his body to take on more mass and more energy. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't rely on potions to fix his aches and pains because they would reverse the results that he was hoping for, a stronger body.
Harry knew that he had only a week before he would have to leave this place, but at the same time would not give up this diet for anything. If that meant that he wouldn't eat what was provided for him once he reached Grimmauld Place then so be it. He would continue to work out his body to the point of exhaustion. He would continue to take his vitamins as well as the herbal supplements that was provided by the holistic chemist down the way and if not available due to location would find a chemist who would service him wholly.
At this point however, he decided to break away from the norm from which the planned had been used for from the future and write out a plan for which it would be used for, going forward.
5:00 AM - 6:30 AM: meditation, working on incorporating Occlumency and Legilimency training and building shields, also incorporating data from Future me.
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: preparing breakfast for the Dursleys.
7:00AM - 8:00 AM: Eating breakfast with Dobby and learning all I can about elf magic and customs not assimilated from future me.
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Physical workout including but not limited to push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, jogging around Surrey, hand-stand push-ups, endurance six-inch killers, and four count diamond push ups.
12:00PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch with Dobby
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Dursley chores.
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Tea with Dobby and again focusing on elvish and wizarding customs unaware of prior to assimilation.
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: preparing dinner for the Dursleys.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Dinner with Dobby.
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: washing dishes for Dursleys.
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Evening job through Surrey.
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM: Occlumency and Legilimency training wind down for evening.
8:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Sleep preparation and tomorrow planning.
9:00 PM - 5:00 AM: Sleep.
Harry wrote down this schedule and realized immediately that this would be a lot to do, physically. He had never really exercised before in his life. There was the rather frequent examples of him having to flee for his livelihood, however, that was due to Dudley's Harry-hunting excursions. This may even be incorporated into Harry's plan, ultimately, as he rarely felt that anything was doing had been worthwhile until real goals had been achieved.
Harry promised himself later that he would approach Dudley with his plan on getting into shape, leaving his aunt and uncle completely unaware and his cousin well paid for his efforts in helping him achieve these goals.
Harry noticed the clock and decided that he would answer Hermione's Letter in the morning. Each and every muscle that Harry had worked now ached beyond comprehension and with that soreness brought early fatigue. As soon as his head hit the pillow, sleep came from exhaustion.
Unfortunately for Harry the sleep that he managed to find was fitful, and brought to an early end by the tapping that he heard coming from his only bedroom window. Grumpily he moaned and groaned with tension as he crossed the room to see that Hedwig had returned from her evening hunt with something more than just her meal as she had a letter, again, ready for Harry to read. He would have put it off had he not immediately recognized the fancy script of his godfather.
Dear Harry,
I know that I hadn't written in a while and for that I sincerely apologize. A Marauder should never forget his pack. Harry, Dumbledore called an emergency meeting with concerns of your recent increase in power. This has got me worried. I do not want to loose faith in the headmaster but at the same point I think that taking a bit of analysis and deductive reasoning when dealing with anything that he says or does is not advice that I would not impart upon you.
Had he known all and been everywhere he would have known that I would have never betrayed you parents, but like all people: Muggle, Witch or Wizard, he is human and as such is not infallible. Neither am I or you, so I'm not trying to say I'm better, when in reality I've been much worse.
Albus told me that you know this prophecy and for the most part I know a lot of it as your parents had shared it with me and was the primary reason why they had went into hiding. It's you or him who will win and I'm betting on you. You have my full support in whatever you do, but please remember to plan things out and take a logical and observant approach to planning out what you need to do rather than go off half-cocked as I'm frequently known for. I am trying to change that but old habits are hard to break away from
Harry, how are your aunt and uncle treating you? Again with the old habits but if you need a grim approach to dealing with their treatment, and I really do want to make sure that you're okay. I've talked with your friends, both Hermione and Ron, and believe it or not Albus Dumbledore and he has advised me, once I confronted him all right and proper, that their assessment of your conditions have been more than accurate.
Believe me Harry, if I could have been there for you from day one, I would have. I let my need for revenge from taking my best friends; in James and Lily, away that I let it cloud my judgment in needing to find and make Peter pay. The tears of utter frustration are flowing from me now as I have nothing but hate for my other former best friend. I don't understand, and more than that, I want to and that is what is eating me away and I'm sure that's what has happened to Moony and I can't take that away. It's maddening.
Harry, I don't think of you as James because I know that you're more of a prankster than he has ever been. You may not remember it but I, and Remus, most certainly do. Your aim is accurate to a fault and your ACCIDENTAL magic had given Lily, Remus and I hours of entertainment. This isn't the sort of thing that you share but you had a bit of a bond with dear ole dad and when it was time to change that rank ole nappy, well... It was always James duty to make sure that you were serviced properly or hell would come to pay.
Remember that Harry. I will not go into details for the simple decency sake of it all, but suffice it to say you were quite vengeful as a mini-toddler. You demanded daddy's attention to its fullest and if he was ill-prepared, well, you made sure that your demands were the utmost priority when the time had come.
We coined the phrase and made it legend for future mischief-makers, however, you perfected it being that future mischief-maker and left it for the previous to stand in quite and complete awe of you, in your wake.
I love you with all of my heart,
Snuffles
Sirius. The Siriusness of the entire letter brought him out of the depravity of the sleep that he so desperately needed into a silent lucidity that would not be begged off. Tears streamed down the young man's face but it was a selfish anguish that held the affirmation of mourning this very night. He didn't mourn for the loss of his parents or the heart-felt words that had streamed down the page. His pain was more to the very likes of jealousy towards his godfather.
He was jealous that Sirius could remember these good times when he was left, abandoned, with nothing more than the pan droppings of memories where he could hear his mum scream, 'Not Harry!' and nothing more. He wish to the utter gods of Odin, Corr, and the first mischief-maker himself Loki for the memories that his godfather had described. However, he knew that they would, quite simply, never come. He wouldn't remember them, or have a way of honoring them outside of the mirror and what had happened with Tom Riddle less than a month ago within the Priori Incantatem.
Harry could not recall the sound of his mother's or father's voice without that most recent of memories. He was void of the experience of knowing them and found himself wanting, when it came to memory recall. Now, however, he looked at; and found quite a bit of joy at, remembering the words that float upon the letter that he most recently had the pleasure of experiencing as he read along.
Unfortunately for Harry, the worst of all things possible could have happened, which at that point of time would be the flutter of owl wings as Pig broke the silence of the smallest room of number four Privet Drive. He, quite literally, bounced off of Harry's, still, sleep chest, and fell gingerly into his lap.
Harry looked at the completely exhausted owl as it breached his parameters of a safe distance, which was quite limited at this hour as Harry was quite determined to make his was back to the warmth, safely and solitude of the inner workings of his bed.
That being spoiled now already, he felt himself resigned to the fate that the letter that Pig carried with him would have to be read. He couldn't escape Ronald Bilius Weasley's unrequited and solemn rebuttal in his game of life attempt at matching people to chess pieces declaration and profession of love.
Harry looked at the letter that now sat upon his lap. Harry knew, without needing to know that the tiny owl would need a response and gave, without question, the most opportune place to roost. The tiny bird would not move without the time and knew that his best mate would need a response and that explained Pig hesitancy towards returning home. Harry also didn't have the heart to send the tiny and completely exhausted bird back home to Ottery St. Catchpole.
The only question for Harry at this point was to whether or not to open the letter that was waiting for her from Ron and get the inevitable over and done with or wait until tomorrow and let the poker cards fall where they may. He already knew that when he had called dibs off and made it an every man for himself sort of situation that he wouldn't be putting things off.
Harry also realized that by reading Sirius' letter that there were quite the bit of 'words of wisdom' that he hadn't been prepared to take that were contained within the musty pages. It was time to plan. Carefully, he took the letter, and when Pig didn't immediately leave understood that the diminutive bird was under instructions to await a reply.
Harry,
Hey mate, I know that I was told to await a response from you because of what happened to Cedric, but I couldn't. I know that's probably wrong but at the same time I had to. I needed to know that you were okay at this point in time and I knew that it would be bad form for me to wait. With that, I knew that I would hear from certain parties about that but frankly I could care less. You, my friend, are more important.
I hate that you have to go to your aunt and uncle's home and do this, that, and the other thing. It bothers me that you will have no fun while you're supposed to be on summer's holiday because I know that while I'm expected to do a few chores that you are doing quite a few more than I've even though were possible to be assigned to me.
At this point I have quite a few things that are running rampant in my mind, but the most frequent is why I was found at the bottom of the great lake during your second task when that task was designed to be the one thing that you were supposed to treasure above all other things.
I find myself ashamed. I'm ashamed because in the greatest sense I betrayed the trust of a brother in arms. I know that we were not at war at the time but in retrospect we really were because of what had happened at the conclusion of the Tri-wizard tournament. You won and did so on complete nerve. Sure you didn't kill He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, according to Dobby, but he's supposedly the most devious and evil wizard according to everyone else. You defied him, and beat him by getting away and I'm very VERY glad that you did. I don't know what I would have done without my best mate still alive.
I'm a slacker. I know that I should probably listen to Hermione but at times she really and truly gets on my nerves. I think that she does it on purpose and my initial and gut reaction is to be utterly reactionary. I think that I proved that when we were sitting there utterly miserable during the Yule Ball.
She was having an absolutely grand time with Victor and looking rather un-Hermione-like on the greater scale and I ripped her through and through on a rather thorough scale by what I said. I also, as I normally didn't see my boundaries, didn't know when to quit. Unfortunately, I didn't know when to quit when the whole Ball was over with and you walked in on us when I let the tips of my toes rest quite uncomfortably in the back of my throat and she lashed out, not only at me, but you as well.
Listen, mate, I'm not completely dense. I know that you had not wanted to participate in that bloody tournament at that point, but the rage that I felt at her betraying us by trying her very best to make a go at friendship with the other schools clouded my judgment. I'm very territorial. I look at life much like I look at chess. Unfortunately at that time I had quite a few games going on at the same time.
Hermione is your friend. Yeah, she's mine as well, but I've put more than a few pieces in the way to muck things up and a lot of those things is my own pride and with that being the case I've bullocks it all to bloody hell and back. I know you're more than a friend to her and that has probably bullocks our friendship as well and I just wanted to pluck my Gryffindor courage up and apologize for it.
I know that I've already said that I'm not going to write her over the summer and at the same point you said that you would. I don't know how to apologize to her for her but if you could, would you please let her know that I didn't mean to push her so far away. I do really look towards her much like I do towards yourself and I hope that I didn't muck up a perfectly good friendship because I took things too far.
I don't have a lot of friends Harry. I wasn't a very good friend to her. I know that. The only reason I went with you to that bloody lavatory to help was because of you and you know it but I didn't want to see harm come to her. You know that. We saved her but at the same point you had more of the bloody Gryffindor courage at that point of time and I would have never thought to jump atop a bloody troll and put my wand in its nose.
She's always helped us, ALWAYS! You've always been my voice of reason, ALWAYS! Please don't think MORE little of me because I had a VERY Ron moment and said something before I thought. I'm beating myself over it every minute of every hour of every day. I just want my best mates, here; at my home, doing the very things that we would be doing in the common room.
I want to feel normal and right now I don't.
Absolutely Sincerely your Best Mate,
Ron
Harry looked at the letter in complete horror. This isn't the way things happened before. There was a lot to think about but he couldn't think because there was too much and quite frankly he was exhausted. The letter that he read was a complete relief but at this point he didn't feel relief.
Harry himself, when he called dibs on a relationship with Hermione, had felt a pang of jealousy. He wondered to himself if that was the right feeling to feel, now. He knew that the relationship that he had with Ron would have been different if the reaction that he had expected from Ron would be different. Unfortunately, with the letter that he had received, it wasn't the expected response.
Morning - Number Four Privet Drive - Saturday
"FREAK, MAKE BREAKFAST NOW!!!" Harry's fat whale of an uncle bellowed from the other side of his secured bedroom door which was immediately followed by the familiar sound of a series of locks being rapidly placed in the unlocked position.
Harry tumbled out of his bed rather unceremoniously to land atop the bare wooden floor of his sparsely furnished bedroom with a grumble that was due more towards the lack of sleep that he managed due to his rather late night of missive perusal. He righted himself before fumbling for his glasses and them stumbled himself towards the doorway.
Upon entering the hallway, he could make out from the closed bathroom door that the water had just been started for a shower, and he lazily turned and made his way down the stairs, through the living room, crossing the dining room and finally into the kitchen. He fell into the familiar auto-pilot of removing the eggs, rashers of bacon and bangers, as well as tomatoes. He quickly fried them up one way and then the other in a manor which spoke well of his expertise in the kitchen.
He returned back towards the refrigerator and retrieved an onion, bell pepper, cheese and mushrooms and began quickly dicing to prepare his aunt Petunia's standard omelet, which she always just referred to as adequate or sub-par but edible.
Upon finishing the cooking he quickly loaded Vernon and Dudley's plate, each, with six eggs, 6 rashers of bacon, six bangers and two whole fried tomatoes, before setting his aunt's omelet and absent-mindedly placing a wandless warming spell on them before heading back to the serenity of the smallest bedroom at Number Four Privet Drive.
It was only five minutes after he returned to his bedroom that he heard the water stop in the lavatory across the hall, and then; once again, the series of locks being systematically returned their previous position of where they were prior to Harry's audible morning alarm that he likened to that of the mating song of the Northern Pacific Humpback whale.
With a soft pop that Harry had hardly had time to recognize, a diminutive in stature; but big in pride with a job well done elf by the name of Dobby dropped off a plate packed to the point that when Harry saw it made a lung for it for a fear that it would topple over.
The wondrous smells that came from his desk finally brought Harry out of his sleep-addled mind and he beheld the eggs(over easy), bangers fresh melons, and waffles with a pitcher of iced pumpkin juice just off to the side with what could only be awe.
"I have to get his recipes!" Harry exclaimed to himself, but at the same point, and to his shame, Harry hadn't noticed that Dobby hadn't quite let the room at all.
"I'm sorry Master Harry Potter sir, but I cannot be givings house elves recipes. They were mum elf's and are to be passed down. I hope that you'll be understanding?" Dobby asked hopefully as he attempted vainly to look inconspicuous while straightening up the small room.
"That's quite alright Dobby, I understand. You're cooking it top notch, however... Just so you know. Thanks." Harry said honest in his resolution that he would just have to figure it out on his own. He wouldn't be sharing those recipes with the Dursleys, that was for sure.
Harry, all in all, took nearly forty-five minutes diving into this monstrous breakfast before beginning his work out. That in and of itself took a mind of its own as he had let time get away from him and before he knew it had worked out through lunch and found Dobby in front of him looking rather put out.
"Is something wrong Dobby?" Harry asked the little elf, noticing the near blind rage that was burning behind the great big eyes.
"Dobby is not making lunch for Harry Potter only to have it go to waste. Harry Potter sir must eat his lunch before he can be properly served his tea!" Huffed, a very put-out looking, Dobby. Harry sighed deeply at this, and the memories of his life-long companion in arms with the shorter but very power elf reminded him of what his friend was truly capable of.
Truth be told, should the house elves be allowed to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, well they could be sorted in any of the houses. The true natures of the founder's beliefs resided in all of the elves in great supply, however, the Hufflepuff loyalty was something that the house elves had in spades.
Resigned, yet again, Harry turned to his desk to see a single plate with a huge roast beef sandwich with all the trimmings, crisps and a tall glass of what appeared to me iced lemonade. Upon drinking the concoction it was confirmed to have been identified correctly, to Harry's delight. The sandwich was fresh and hot, and thinly sliced as well atop freshly baked pumpernickel bread. The crisps were a plain potato, however dusted lightly with salt and malt vinegar.
Once again, Harry sat before an empty plate with a feeling of contentment that he had never felt before while within the walls of Number Four Privet Drive. He sat back in his chair at his desk and re-read Hermione's letter. Once again, a smile broke across his face at the fact that he did now, in fact, have a girlfriend. It was a feeling of completion that he had never experienced. His other self had, in fact been in love with her, as well, but the feeling now was much different because it was filled with a hope that hadn't been present in the other time line.
'This time will be different.' He thought to himself as he quickly grabbed a quill and parchment and thought about his reply. Then, after moments sitting there, with his hand hovering menacingly above his inkwell, he dipped the tip of his quill and began.
Dear Hermione,
First of all let me start this by apologizing for putting you on the spot. I, once again, looked towards what I had hoped to accomplish without looking at the bigger picture and as a direct result, you were made to suffer, even if it was in jest from you dad. I am very glad that you've accepted to be my girlfriend and I am glad for that.
Let's get onto some other subjects for a second as I'm sure that you wouldn't want me to change too much but let's get onto the tasks that we have set before us. First, I think that you're on the right track as far as the evolutionary process of us magical people. However I think that perhaps rather than allow it to occur naturally we've divided our culture for survival sake and has become what we now find ourselves in. This is worthy of further thought but we have more pressing things to look at that need to be at the forefront.
Hermione, I need you to find all the books that you can on Occlumency and Legilimency. Occlumency is the art of being able to guard one's mind against outside attack. Legilimency is its counterpart, the art of invading one's mind. I need you to be well versed and practicing this if at all possible. I will send Snuffles an inquiry in regards to what he might have available to him where he current resides and have him send it to you.
Next, I think that you should also concentrate on planning. I know that you're more introspective than I am. Where I would tread where angels fear without a second thought when I believe that a friend or love one might be in danger, you're much more thorough in what to do and that may be the difference between living and dying at the hands of death eaters.
Also, I shall be by your home after a weeks time, under watch of friends of our beloved headmaster. I have recently come into some knowledge myself about the art of warding and have been given the opportunity to do so at the Dursleys, your home and the Burrow, as well.
I can't wait to see you. Until then.
All my love,
Harry
Harry looked over the letter, before sealing it, once he was safe that he was satisfied with what he had written. There were other things that he had wished to say to her but found that it would probably be better said in person rather than in writing. Placing her letter at the corner of his desk, he turned attention again to the letter from Sirius. Having re-read it with a much more lucid mind, he took another piece of parchment out and began his reply.
Dear Snuffles,
I think that at this point in time that it is time for the Marauders to reform. Now, before you think that this is something that an adolescent looking for fun and pranks in the light of the current adversity we are facing; well yeah, there's that. There's also the fact that we're looking at an oncoming war between Voldemort and the rest of us to the likes that the wizarding world has never seen.
What do we do when we're faced with an enemy that we've never been able to defeat? Prank the bloody hell out of his lot and get them caught, that's what. But, we need to be careful and cautious and plan the hell out of things. Obviously I don't fully trust the headmaster, having my fore-knowledge, however, that doesn't necessarily mean that his heart isn't in the right place.
The road to hell was paved with good intentions, however, and I don't have time for purgatory at the moment, Snuffles. I know that Professor Dumbledore would face the killing curse and the Cruciatus curse and use transfiguration and conjuring to place barriers in their path while stunning an opponent. This isn't going to work in a war where the potential for an enemy with superior numbers is all throwing killing curses or has a division that is solely throwing back enervate while throwing killing curses.
The bottom line is that you cannot think that one can win a war fighting like a policing action. The French and American learned that during The Vietnam Conflict, and the Order should have learned that during Voldemort's first attempted reign of terror. You have to be decisive.
Snuffles, I would like you and Moony to work on the Marauder's Map version's 2, 3 and 4. Basing them on Hogsmead, Diagon Alley and the Ministry of Magic. I think that it would be a good idea if we had people focusing on these areas in specific as they will be key targets. Additionally, it may be important to key them to known death eater's as well and set up an alarm on the maps, should any or all of these key's be tripped.
I'm fine. The Muggles are the same as they always are when I'm with them, but for the most part, as long as all of the chores they assign are complete then I'm left to myself. I'm training my body and Dobby the house elf is insuring that I'm properly fed. Nothing more for me to do than train and think.
Additionally, due to my fore-knowledge I have a demand of you. If you find yourself in battle with death eaters, do not speak to them, especially Bellatrix Lestrange. I know that she's your cousin, as is Narcissa Malfoy, but trust me on this. It would not be the time to distract yourself from getting the job done and gloating at the same time. Take her out first, gloat while she's in chains before the Wizengamot. If there are things that come to light later after the heat of battle or in the background, fine, but in battle, your enemy is your enemy and deserves no mercy. The point to anyone's side in war is to become the victor. I hope that you can promise me that.
Lastly, I suggested that my girlfriend; Hermione, and this is just between you and I, and Remus if you see him, that she might contact you and see if you have access to books on Occlumency and Legilimency. Please search your library and have them available for her and look for a letter shortly.
You loving godson,
Harry
Harry looked down at what he wrote to his godfather with more than a little trepidation. He hoped that his godfather would look at the words that he reads here and see more than the ramblings of a fourteen year old boy whom had watched a friend murdered and look at it as a real and viable solution to the upcoming dilemma the wizarding world was facing. He placed the letter in an envelope, sealed it and placed it atop the letter he had addressed to Hermione.
This was becoming repetitious but Harry, wanting to have Ron's letter fresh in his mind, re-read the letter and decided that a different approach was needed. Taking a fresh parchment, he dipped the tip of his quill into his inkwell and began writing furiously.
Ron,
I'm glad that you didn't want to wait for permission to write. It shows that you're still capable of thinking for yourself, even on summer hols. Yeah, I know what you mean about me being here. I'd much rather be hanging out with you and Hermione, but at this point I'm already working on the summer homework and I've had plenty of time to think about what happened at the end of last year.
Ron, the chores here aren't a bother. I'm used to it and it has made the time pass relatively quickly. I know what you mean about the lake, and you have to face the fact on a couple of things. One, you're fifteen and I'm fourteen. I'd never really been allowed to have any friends while I was growing up so you're my first friend, and that put Hermione at being my second. The two of you are my best friends.
Ron, I got away from Voldemort on luck and nerve as well. It just happened that our wands are brother wands and enacted a spell called Priori Incantatem, which prevented his killing curse and surrounded us with a cage of pure magic. I don't know how many times that can last, but I may have to look at getting a second wand so that I can duel properly should I find myself in that kind of situation again. And, let's be honest, he's been after me every year since I accepted to attend Hogwarts, so the chance that there will be another time is probably great.
Ron, you're not really a slacker, you just don't apply yourself and you like to have fun. It's part of being a kid. You do apply yourself to things that you believe are important, like Quidditch and chess. I do hope that you decide to go out for the team next year and that you're practicing at home.
Speaking of Chess, you know you're brilliant at that and at strategy and I need you to start working on a side project and apply your thoughts of strategy towards what what we're learning at school and how we could use it should we face a battle. You know that it is coming and I think that with you applying the strategy that you often use on the chess board into real life we might have an advantage in the future.
Ron, this is where I have something to tell you and I'm not sure how you'll take it. I've asked Hermione to be my girlfriend and she's accepted. I did it just over the summer through letters sent to Hermione. I'll have you know her father gave her a bit of a hard time about it because we're so young but he did agree to allow me to date her. I hope that you're alright with this.
We're all a good team, and yeah, you've stuck your foot in your mouth with the arguing with her more than enough times, but at the same time, I think that if you apply your strengths towards a worthwhile goal, such as helping with this stratagem, she'd be off of your back. I'll send her your regards as well as the apology.
I know that you said that you wouldn't write her but maybe a letter or two during the summer and offering the apology yourself would show the courage that your head and heart is in the right place towards repairing the friendship. Write soon and let me know what you think about what I said.
Your best mate,
Harry
Harry sealed the final letter and sighed. He hoped that the letter to Ron would go over well. He didn't really know whether it would make much of a difference, however he hoped that it would. The one thing that he was hesitant about was Ginny's reaction to the new dynamic of his relationship with Hermione. His future self recalled that she and Hermione had gotten closer this year, but at the same time it was due to Ginny seeking advice on how to get Harry to notice her.
He hoped that this wouldn't drive a wedge between him and the Weasley's but at the same time there was something that still needed to be done about Ginny. He had to find a way to get the Horcrux out of her head.
Walking over to Hedwig, he tied the letters to tether on her leg. Hedwig rubbed her head against Harry's cheek and playfully nipped at his ear before taking off into the night from his sole window. Harry looked at the clock, not realizing the time. With a pop, Dobby had another plate waiting on his desk. This time it was roast chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables.
"Dobby, you're fattening me up quite nicely. You know that?" Harry asked with a smirk.
"I am being a good house elf, Master Harry Potter sir." Dobby said with an equal smirk before popping away.
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