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Black & Red | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Dumbledore, Harry/Ginny, Minerva McGonagall, Sirius Black Genres: Drama, General, Romance Warnings: None Rating: PG Reviews: 76 Summary: Raised by his godfather, following the events of Halloween 1981, Harry spends his childhood, hidden from the Wizarding World, preparing to face his destiny. However, his world is turned upside down when he reunites with the beautiful redhead he rescued down in the Chamber. Hitcount: Story Total: 30711; Chapter Total: 1511 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay in the update. I have been ill with a chest infection for a couple of weeks to the point that I didn't turn on my computer for several days. The plan for this story is to now post every two weeks and I promise I am about to change up where this story heading in the next chapter!
Thank you to Arnel for your patience and your brilliant editing skills! (Edited - 6/8/2021) |
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Sirius stepped out of the fireplace and into the headmaster’s office at Hogwarts. He knew it was a risk to be here, especially with Delores Umbridge snooping around, but he needed to speak with Dumbledore in private and no amount of privacy wards was going to guarantee that at Grimmauld Place. Thankfully, the older wizard had understood and agreed to his request. “Sirius, thank you for coming,” Dumbledore said as he turned from the basin that he had been looking at. “I do apologise for asking you to come at this late hour, but I felt it would be safer than during the day.” “And thank you for agreeing to meet here to talk,” Sirius replied as he walked over and took a seat in front of the headmaster’s desk. “I think we should get straight to it to avoid me being here longer than absolutely necessary.” Without waiting for any acknowledgement, Sirius launched into the story of what happened the night Arthur was attacked in the bowels of the Ministry and exactly what Harry had seen through the link he shared with Voldemort. “From what angle did Harry witness the attack?” Dumbledore calmly asked once Sirius finished speaking. “He said he saw it through the eyes of the snake,” Sirius answered, knowing in that moment that he was going to ask the headmaster if his theory about his son was correct. “He said it was like he was the snake.” The twinkle in Dumbledore’s eyes seemed to dim slightly as a look of sadness crossed the old man’s face before it disappeared as quickly as it came. However, it was enough to push Sirius into asking the question he honestly didn’t want to know the answer to. “Is my son a Horcrux?” No answer appeared to be forthcoming until Dumbledore uttered the words Sirius had been dreading, “I believe so.” Sirius felt like all the air in his lungs had been sucked out of him with that one revelation. He had done everything in his power to protect Harry and now it felt like it had all been for nothing. He knew his son would have to die if Voldemort was to be defeated once and for all. Every piece of information that they had found on Horcruxes, which had not been much, all clearly stated that the vessel had to be destroyed beyond magical repair. Simply put, Harry had no choice but to sacrifice his life. “You must not reveal this to Harry,” Dumbledore stressed firmly. “You told me once that you shared everything with Harry about the prophecy and his role in this war against Voldemort, but this is one piece of information you cannot share with him. The burden it would place upon him if he were to learn that he was unintentionally made into one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, it would be too much for him to bear. It could potentially lead him to doing something that could risk everything.” The headmaster’s words made it sound like that Harry would need to die at the right moment if they were to succeed in defeating Voldemort. The very thought made Sirius shudder as he realised that it meant that he had raised his son like a pig for slaughter. Would Harry ever forgive him if he discovered that the man who had raised him had kept this piece of information from him? “Is there any other way to remove that piece of Voldemort’s soul from Harry?” Sirius asked in desperation, knowing he had to try to find a way to save his son. “I do not believe there is,” Dumbledore said gently. “However, your library at Grimmauld Place is far more extensive in terms of the Dark Arts than mine or that of Hogwarts. The solution may be hidden away in there. I would just ask that you do not get your hopes up over potentially finding an answer that may not be there.” “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” It was the only way that Sirius could describe how he was feeling in that moment. He had to hold onto the hope that he could find a way in which they could remove the piece of Voldemort’s soul from his son and not kill him in the process. However, he would also have to prepare for the worst in making sure that Harry enjoyed whatever was left of his life and that meant allowing his son to spend as much time as possible with the one person who could constantly put a smile on his face “ Ginny. “I agree with your sentiments, Sirius,” the headmaster said, pulling him from his thoughts. “However, for now, I believe it would be best if Severus goes to headquarters to check Harry’s Occlumency skills once more. I highly doubt that there are any weaknesses as Severus was impressed by what Harry had accomplished when he checked them in the summer, but it is best we make sure we did not overlook a potential problem.” Sirius nodded in agreement as he recognised that their conversation had now come to an end. “Thank you for being honest with me,” he said as he stood to leave. “I understand why you have kept so much of what you know about Voldemort secret from everyone.” “A burden I wish you did not need to share with me.” It was a burden that Sirius did not want, but would willingly carry, knowing that Harry carried one far heavier than he ever would. For that reason, he would not let this little piece of knowledge he had just obtained taint his relationship with his son. HP&GW The severity of Arthur Weasley’s injuries meant that he would remain in St. Mungo’s over the course of the Christmas period. It was decided, therefore, that the rest of the Weasleys would stay at Grimmauld Place for the holidays, allowing them to be nearer to the hospital. Sirius and Harry had chosen to stay with them rather than return to their own home as they had been due to spend Christmas Day with the family. Harry and Ginny had taken advantage of the unexpected additional time together, enjoying the chance to snog and explore the new side of their relationship. Unfortunately, that meant accepting a huge amount of teasing from Ginny’s brothers, who had the uncanny knack of walking into whatever room they were in. Sirius and Molly had, however, banned them from spending time together in either of their bedrooms, stating that the first night back at the house had been under exceptional circumstances. That was until Sirius unearthed a charm that could be placed upon both bedrooms that would stop the couple from becoming too physically intimate with one another. Both teens had blushed profusely at this but were relieved as neither were anywhere near ready to even contemplate going beyond snogging. Every day, the Weasleys had visited Arthur at the hospital and, each day, Harry would be invited to join them. He had so far refused, using the excuse that no one was currently aware that they knew each other and for their own safety, it needed to remain that way. Thankfully, Sirius had backed him up on this, stating that Dumbledore would not want to put the family in further danger. Unfortunately for Harry, Ginny was not buying his excuse and had made sure to find out the real reason he was refusing to visit her father when she returned from the hospital. It was only after talking to his dad that Harry found the courage to admit the truth to his girlfriend. “I know I am welcome to join you, but I don’t feel comfortable going,” Harry confessed to Ginny when she finally managed to get him alone without the risk of any interruptions. “Why?” Ginny asked, genuinely confused by his feelings. “You know you are more than welcome to join us. My parents consider you and your dad a part of our family after spending the summer with you. My dad wants to thank you for helping save his life.” Harry looked away from his girlfriend and towards the fire that was lighting and warming up the room. He didn’t want to be thanked for something that he could not control. Yes, he knew what had happened was not his fault and yet, there was this nagging feeling that, in some ways, he was. “He doesn’t blame you,” Ginny gently said as she placed a hand on Harry’s cheek and turned his face back towards hers. “My mum doesn’t either. While they don’t understand how you were able to see what happened to my dad, they are grateful that it allowed you to make sure the right people knew and were able to get to him in time. However, none of us will force you to go to the hospital if you don’t feel comfortable, no matter what the reason is. We just want you to understand that you have us Weasleys as part of your family now.” A warm, fuzzy feeling spread through Harry’s body at being told his family had expanded beyond his dad and uncle. It had been just the three of them for so long, with only the odd visit from Minerva McGonagall, that it shocked him at how easily the Weasleys had taken them in and made them part of their family without question. “I don’t think I can make you understand just how much that means to me to hear you say that to me,” he replied earnestly. “I just…” “…don’t think you can come with us to the hospital,” Ginny finished for him as she gently ran her hand through his hair. “I would never make you do something you don’t want to, Harry. However, it was obvious to me that your refusal to come went beyond the excuse you and Sirius gave. So, I’ll let you off and let Dad know that he can speak to you, in private, when he is released from St. Mungo’s.” “Thank you,” he whispered before capturing her lips with his and taking the chance to enjoy a private moment with his girlfriend. He wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve a someone as understanding and caring as Ginny was, but he knew he was going to do whatever it took to keep her in his life. HP&GW “What do you think?” Harry asked when they arrived the edge of the property where he had grown up. “I can’t see anything,” Ginny said in disappointment. “I can feel something is there, but I cannot see it. Why is that?” “Because I need to add your unique magical signature to the wards and give you the address of the property before you can,” Sirius explained as he stepped towards the red head with his wand ready. “It is part of the multiple layers of protection James had placed to make sure no one could find this house.” As Sirius began casting the necessary charms to add Ginny to the wards, Harry looked towards the house that had become his home when he was eighteen months old. It had affectionately become known as Deer Run in memory of his parents. It was a subtle nod to the doe and stag that would appear when either were to cast the Patronus Charm. Harry was excited to show Ginny where he had grown up and to give her the final part of her Christmas present. “Read this,” Sirius said, causing Harry to turn his head back towards the two most important people in his life. The look on Ginny’s face as she read the small piece of paper was so comical that the two wizards couldn’t help but laugh. “I know this writing!” Ginny exclaimed as she realised that the handwriting belonged to her head of house. “Why didn’t you tell me who your Secret Keeper was?” “It would negate the point of having one if we told you,” Sirius explained before he gently turned Ginny in the direction of the house, allowing him to distract her from a potential rant about keeping secrets. The house was nothing like The Burrow, but, then again, Harry didn’t think there was a house anywhere that was like the family home of the Weasleys. He had only briefly visited the house, a few weeks earlier, but it had certainly left a lasting impression on him. Deer Run, on the other hand, was a simple two storey house that was surrounded by a vast amount of land, far from the nearest town, whilst remaining well-hidden to anyone who meant them harm. Despite the lack of interaction with people outside those his dad had trusted, Harry had loved growing up here. “I would suggest us moving inside the wards,” Sirius encouraged as he moved forward. “While I have never had a reason to believe anyone has found this place, I don’t want to start taking risks now. Plus, it is freezing, and I would like to get inside. Why don’t you show Ginny around, Harry?” Grabbing Ginny’s hand, Harry led her around the grounds of Deer Run. He showed her the greenhouse where he had been taught Herbology and, of course, the Quidditch pitch, where Harry had spent many hours flying as a child. Ginny was eager to play an actual match on the pitch, something Harry wanted to do as well, but realised it would not happen until the war was over and it was safe to reveal the location of the house to more people. Finally, they headed back to the house with a quick tour revealing a kitchen, living room, a dining room and a study that doubled as Harry’s classroom on the ground floor. All the rooms and the hall were filled with photos of Harry, Sirius, Remus, and Harry’s parents. Heading upstairs, Harry showed Ginny the bathroom and four bedrooms. “And this,” Harry said as they reached the fourth bedroom, “is your bedroom.” “My bedroom?” Ginny asked in shock as her eyes fell upon the sign on the door. There, in capital letters, was her name, something she had not expected to see. “It’s the second part of your Christmas present from me,” he replied awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted you to have your own space here, somewhere you could sleep if you were to stay over. I didn’t want you to just sleep in what used to be our guest room. I wanted it to be your room.” “I don’t know what to say, Harry.” “It’s too much, isn’t it?” “No, it’s not,” Ginny replied earnestly as she placed her hands gently on either side of Harry’s face. “I know that my mum would do the same for you if it was safe for you to stay at our house.” She reached up and gently kissed him in thanks, truly touched by the sweet gesture. “Shall we take a look inside?” Harry asked as he wrapped a hand around the door handle. “I need to know if we need to add anything to what we have already done as I want you to feel happy and comfortable when you stay this summer.” This revelation left Ginny speechless. How had her boyfriend managed to surprise her twice in the space of a few minutes? “Did I forget to mention you are spending part of the summer with us?” Harry continued as he stifled his laughter at her reaction. “And, with your parents’ permission?” The look of surprise on his girlfriend’s face faded after a few seconds, only to be replaced with one of concern. “This is going to sound so rude,” she said apologetically, “but, what about what happened to you, last summer? Will we be safe here?” Her concerns were not unexpected as Harry had been worried about the exact same thing when his dad had first told him that Ginny could spend part of the summer with them. It didn’t matter that he had already known that the wards had been strengthened and added to, but even he had needed to make sure that they would be safe there. “Yes,” he kindly replied as he took her into his arms. “I don’t know how many Galleons my dad spent, but the wards are stronger than they were last summer. In actual fact, we are safer here than at Grimmauld Place. Only Hogwarts is better protected than Deer Run. Plus, your parents were happy to give permission for you to stay and you know your mum would never have agreed without knowing you would be safe.” He felt the tension in his girlfriend’s body disappear, letting him know he had helped her put aside any concerns she had. “Let’s take a look at this bedroom, then,” Ginny replied with a smile on her face. HP&GW Several days later, Harry found himself facing Severus Snape as the Potions Master prepared to check his Occlumency skills. Surprisingly, Sirius had not insisted on being present in the room, even though there was still an obvious amount of animosity between the two former school rivals. Harry suspected that his dad had backed off out of respect for how the man had taken the time to help Ginny with her own Occlumency during the school term. “Legilimens!” As Harry had expected, Snape had cast the spell without warning. Harry worked quickly to force out the intrusion into his mind, but not before an image of Ginny lying unconscious on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets briefly appeared. “Very good, Mr Potter,” Snape said when he pulled out of the younger’s wizard mind, even though the compliment sounded strained. “I do not see any issues or weaknesses. I believe you have improved since I tested you in the summer.” Harry kept a neutral face, containing the smile that was threatening to appear at hearing a compliment from the usually stoic man. “However, I feel the need to remind you of the importance of practicing your Occlumency every night before going to sleep,” he continued without waiting for a response from Harry. “Your mind is at its most vulnerable when you are asleep and relaxed. The Dark Lord may now be able to access your mind as you did his when you witnessed the attack on Arthur Weasley, especially now he is aware of the connection that you share. It is possible he will be able to see your thoughts and influence them and it is this, as you know, that we are aiming to prevent.” Harry nodded in response, having heard a similar lecture from both his dad and uncle, though with much more warmth. Even so, he knew the professor was correct in his assessment and he did not want to test the theory of Voldemort potentially accessing his thoughts. If his feelings for Ginny were discovered, then there was a particularly good chance that Voldemort would attempt to use that to his advantage. Given Ginny’s history with the so-called Dark Lord, Harry wanted to make it so she would never have to face him again. “Thank you for your help, Professor,” Harry politely replied. “I know this cannot have been an easy task given your history with my parents, my dad and uncle. The fact that you have done these sessions without any snide remarks, something I was led to believe I should expect, shows me that you are just serious as I am about the need to stop Voldemort.” The expression on the Potions Master’s face was, in Harry’s opinion, a picture-perfect moment as it appeared his comment had rendered the older man speechless. Sadly, it only lasted a mere moment before Snape schooled his features to hide his shock. “Am I to assume that your godfather told you stories of our time in school together?” “He did, but much of my knowledge comes from letters from my parents,” Harry admitted honestly. “My mother wrote letters for both myself and my dad to inform us that she suspected that it was you who passed on the knowledge that Voldemort was planning to come after them.” The letters had been a surprise to both Harry and Sirius when they had discovered them in amongst a box of items that had been tucked away safely in the attic. The box itself had contained numerous valuable items, including an Invisibility Cloak that had longed been passed down from father to son. Sirius had been confused as to why James and Lily had chosen to place them in the house rather than in their vault at Gringotts and no reason was given in any of the letters. “I know that you were once best friends with my mother,” Harry continued, not expecting any response. “It wasn’t hard to figure out from what she had written and what I have been told by my dad and Remus, she was the reason you changed sides. It certainly wasn’t for me or my father, so I can only assume that you continue to risk your life because I am her son, the last piece left of the girl you were once friends with.” Snape nodded, confirming Harry’s words. “I am not going to ask you to tell me stories about my mum, but I will use her memory to make one request of you. I know there is, and will always be, bad blood between you, Sirius, and Remus, but, please, for my mother, remain civil. I don’t care if that means you having to bite your tongue. I just need you to work with them, when required, to help me do what I need to do to end this.” Harry stood and, without waiting for a response, left the room. He could only hope that his words had impacted his mother’s former friend to put aside any differences and work with two of the people that had made his life hell during his school years. |
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