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The Veil
By Mutt N Feathers

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Category: Post-OotP, Holidays
Characters:Harry/Ginny
Genres: Drama
Warnings: Death
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 113
Summary: In the fall of 1996 Harry finds a book about the ancient holidays just before Samhain, or what has become Hallowe'en. Tradition says communication with the dead is possible. Harry enlists Ginny to help him find out if its true.
Hitcount: Story Total: 59017; Chapter Total: 1945
Awards: View Trophy Room




Author's Notes:
Hi all, sorry it's late, my life is nuts. I know the spell to end Voldemort might sound dumb, just trust me. MNF




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Chapter 8:
The Way of the god


“Harry, kneel down,” Ginny whispered. It was only then that he noticed all the men were kneeling while the ladies had curtsied.

“Please, be seated, all of you,” the deep, resonant voice of the god said. “In this room, for these purposes, we are equals.” People returned to their seats, although Ginny gave up her place for the god and turned one of the wooden ladderback chairs around for herself. Remus and Sirius also sat on the harder chairs, and James took the poof between his mother and wife. Lily held onto her son, even if he was nearly grown, for fear he’d disappear from her sight.

“While magic is not inherently good or evil; you, Harry, are locked in a singular battle with someone who has taken all his magical skill and decided to use it for evil’s sake. As you have become aware, Tom Riddle had a difficult start in life — much like you did. Where the two of you diverge, however, is in how the adversity affected your heart. His hardened, making him malicious and malevolent as a child. You sought out those with kindness in their souls and emulated them at every opportunity. You were grateful for your magic and the chance to learn how to use it. You have always used your skills to protect others. I commend you for your moral fibre.”

“We couldn’t be prouder of you, Harry,” James said to his son, reaching over to grab his hand. “I watched, all those years while you were alone, hurting and suffering and yet you were sweet and thoughtful. Whatever your aunt and uncle did to you, it never arrested your growth into an honourable young man.” Lily was unable to say anything, as she was crying again, so she just laid her hand upon her husband’s.

“Harry, my dear, that sentiment is echoed throughout this room,” Julia said.

“Thanks, er, --”

“Grandmum, please. I never did get to hear you say it when you were little. The most we ever heard was ga,ga,ga.”

“Grandmum,” Harry said, dazzling with happiness as he said it. Ginny watched everything, her heart nearly bursting with joy for the boy she secretly loved. She didn’t realize Sirius was watching her watch Harry.

“He still doesn’t know, does he, Red?” the older man whispered in Ginny’s ear.

“What?” she said before she realized what he was asking. “No.”

“Is he still going with that girl from last winter?”

“Cho? No, but I’m technically dating Dean. Do you think we’ll have a few minutes to talk about him today?”

“I’ll make sure we do,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Is there a problem?”

“I don’t know, really. I just need to talk to someone, and Bill is busy with Fleur.” The face the girl made alerted Sirius of her dislike of her future sister-in-law.

“I’m more than happy to fill in for your brother, Red. Alive or dead, I will do what I can and if I can’t my mates most certainly will.”

“What will I do?” Remus asked.

“Keep an eye on Ginny here if I go back to being, well, it isn’t dead, but I isn’t alive, but it wasn’t limbo like Lily either. I don’t know what I was,” he said sadly.

“I will do whatever you need, Padfoot.” The words were said with a seriousness which surprised Ginny, and it wasn’t just because the two were close friends. Ginny’s mind wandered to thoughts of the brown-haired girl who had loved Sirius and whom he treasured. Did anyone know what her fate was? Maybe the god could clue them in? She hoped there would be time to ask.

The god let the happy chatter continue with Harry and his family; they’d missed out on so much. While he could rely on every single person in this room to have stepped up to end the current tribulation, he needed their relationships as a family to strengthen the magic they used. Yes, Harry did have a protection from the accidental blood-magic Lily had initiated with her sacrifice, but it wasn’t enough to keep Harry safe and alive. The love these people shared was more than plenty to do so.

“Your father has told me about how my sister treated you,” Lily said sadly. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. I knew she was jealous of me, but to treat a child that way…there isn’t an excuse. The buffoon she married, however, it doesn’t surprise me. You were supposed to live with your godparents, Anwen and Sirius if anything were to happen to us and I want to know why you weren’t. Albus Dumbledore is going to have some questions to answer!”

“I turned out fine, Mum,” Harry answered, not wanting to reveal just how horrible his childhood had been. “When I started at school and met Ron, Mrs. Weasley adopted me as one of hers; I’ve a Weasley sweater to prove it.”

“I know Molly and Arthur have been good to you, but Anwen was one of my best friends, and she loved you something fierce. Also, between her and Sirius, you would have been protected completely. Between his ability to charm or curse anything and her unique magical skills no one would have gotten within a mile of you.”

While Lily was talking, James looked over to his brother and saw the pain in his eyes. From the day he arrived on the other side of the veil with his parents, James had searched for Anwen. His search had proved hopeless. She wasn’t anywhere; he hoped she had gone to heaven. Andrew had some trepidation regarding this theory, for even if she had gone to heaven, she would have been able to visit them at their waiting room, for lack of a better term. Thankfully the trio of Potters had confirmed she wasn’t alive and being held hostage somewhere. No one knew of her powerful magics outside of their small circle and the Order of the Phoenix. Realizing that Sirius was subconsciously wincing with pain every time Anwen’s name was being mentioned, he decided to end this conversation. Sometime when he and Lily were alone with Harry, they could discuss her. He was aware of how much it hurt to be parted from the person who you love.

“Lils, no more about HER, okay. It’s really bothering Padfoot,” James said. Lily made an involuntary “OH” sound before nodding. It was enough to alert the rest of the room. Everyone sat looking at her, and she suddenly felt awkward and had no idea what to say.

“I believe we shall begin,” the god said. “My counterpart would be with us, but she is currently keeping eyes on Tom Riddle. Halloween, as you know, is a favourite time of his to make mischief. In years past he’s attempted to summon some rather unsavoury characters from the other side. He desperately wants to speak with Salazar Slytherin, but the founder has no desire to speak with him.”

“Why?” Harry asked. “Isn’t a pureblood only wizarding world what Slytherin wanted?”

“Hardly,” the god answered. “While he did believe that pureblood wizards did deserve a higher place over others, it was more in line with the idea that knights and lords had a better seat at the table than others. Yes, he did want Hogwarts to be more selective in their student recruitment; but eventually, he saw the point Gryffindor made about a diverse population at the school and in society. What is being done now, and worse often in his name, is abhorrent to him.”

“That is not what my father taught me,” Sirius piped up.

“Your father was close friends with Tom and had been fed pure-blood nonsense since birth. I doubt he could be more than what he was exposed to.”

“But Sirius rose above it,” James came to his friend’s defence.

“Yes. Sirius Black is a remarkable man, although he had an uncle to guide him and a family who adopted him. Like Harry, Sirius took the brutality of his childhood and swore he’d never be like his family. We are all capable of making the choice of being good or being naught. As I was saying, my counterpart is watching Tom today, and keeping him from doing anything demonstrative. I will need to join her by nightfall, as the pull on certain doors from beyond becomes very strong.” Many of the amassed nodded and settled in to listen to the plan.

“Tom is unable to bear the feeling of love, as you discovered, Harry, this past spring. Our plan is quite simple; we are going to surround the Horcrux in him with so much love it will be driven from this earth. It began with the blood magic Lily created when she sacrificed herself.”

“Any mother would have done the same!” said woman interjected.

“No, every mother wouldn’t do such a thing, dear,” Andrew said. “But a good mother, a loving mother would.” He smiled at her in a fatherly way which made Lily smile demurely and blush. Her father-in-law had always been very kind with her.

“Your inadvertent spell made all this possible — the lives of you and your husband, the lingering of Andrew and Julia, Harry’s safety. People have forgotten the power of real love. The only thing you can’t take credit for is Sirius being with us.”

“Well, not dead and not alive isn’t much to celebrate.” With a closing of his eyes, the god made Sirius and the elder Potters fully corporeal. “Now this,” Sirius said examining his solid hand, “is something to throw a party for!”

“Later, Padfoot, we’ve work to do,” Remus said with a tone which made Harry wonder if the man had spent much of his life saying something similar. He loved how the two interacted with each other. It was sort of like Mr and Mrs Weasley. The image of Remus and Sirius as two old married people made him chuckle. Everyone turned to look at him, and he quickly coughed as a cover.

“Sorry,” Harry said rapidly, hoping no one questioned what he was laughing at.

“So, love is going to kill Voldemort?” James asked skeptically. “We’re going to love each other so much that it will kill him, the all-powerful, super-magical Voldemort?”

“He’s not all-powerful or super-magical, James,” his mother spoke up. “He’s a man, a nasty, annoying man; but just a man. You forget, your father taught at Hogwarts when he was a student. Oh, Andrew talked about how charismatic he was, but so were you when you went to school. People followed you, James, just as they did with Tom.”

“I’m nothing like him, mother!”

“You’re not, because you chose not to have fellow students as your supporters. Tom decided he needed the sycophants to make him feel important.” James stopped to consider what his mother was saying.

“I don’t know, Peter did follow him around like a little puppy,” Remus interjected.

“Can we NOT discuss Peter,” Ginny asked. “Now that I realize it was him living in our house, I’m disgusted by him. He came into the loo while I was showering!” The assembled group all registered their disgust.

“Tom required people to praise him, even if it was false praise,” Andrew said. “There was always something dangerous in him — it was just behind his eyes. I’ve met few like him, goddess be praised, and I hope to meet none more. Perhaps some genuine care and compassion when he was small might have saved him; so yes, for him to feel the true affection and admiration we hold all here in will be enough to change him. I believe I need to give you a lesson in ancient blood magics, my boy.”

“Yes,” Remus said gleefully, “I always enjoyed your lessons, sir.”

“Thank you, Remus.”

“The first thing we must do is send all of you away from Hogwarts,” the god said. “I know you’re worried about your lessons, Harry,” he said as said young man was about to object. “Believe me, when this is over I will tutor you in anything you’re behind in. The same is true of you, Ginny.”

“That’s fine, but how are we supposed to keep our friends and my brothers from noticing we’re gone?”

“Ah, that is where a fetch will come in,” the god said, and suddenly there were copies of Harry and Ginny standing near the door with access to the castle proper. “They will speak, act and behave as you, and the magic they possess will make those they encounter believe they are you. They can’t learn for you, however, so that is where the lessons will come in.”

“Wicked,” Ginny said. The fetch pair left the room.

“Now, we need somewhere to work where we won’t be disturbed.”

“The manor house should work,” Andrew said. “No one has access except someone with Potter blood, and Harry is the only one who does. The house-elves will have kept the place clean and done repairs as needed.”

“That’s acceptable,” the god said, and suddenly they were no longer in the lounge created in the Room of Requirement, but in the marble hallway of a huge castle.


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