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Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love's Memory | ||||||
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Category: Post-HBP Characters:All Genres: Action/Adventure, General, Romance Warnings: Death, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Violence Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 259 Summary: After the horcrux hunt implodes leaving most of those Harry loves dead, he starts a new life with a few fellow survivors far away from wizarding Britain. But the discovery of an ancient ritual that promises to send a single memory back in time sparks hope that maybe things can change. Dark ending to DH followed by a tweaked retelling of GoF through DH. Harry/Ginny. Friday updates. Original Timeline Voldemort's Victory - Chapter 1-5 (Feel free to skip if you don't like major character deaths) Tenochtitlán - Chapter 6-9 New Timeline Harry's 4th Year - Chapter 10-28 Harry's 5th Year - Chapter 29-68 Harry's 6th Year - Chapter 69-Current Hitcount: Story Total: 169431; Chapter Total: 1707 Awards: View Trophy Room |
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With OWLs completed, Harry enjoyed a much less stressful few weeks as the end of term approached. His professors seemed almost as relieved to have them in the rear-view mirror, focusing more time on preparing their younger students and Sixth Years for their end-of-the-year exams. Classes were significantly less intense, and a few professors even released their students before the bell rang. He filled his free time with strolls around the grounds with Ginny, playing games with his friends in the Gryffindor Common Room, and running the final Defense Club meetings of the year. Though Blaise hadn't officially accepted Harry's offer to join the group of leaders yet, he was one of several older club members who were invited to help facilitate the Defense Club meeting for younger students. Padma, Angelina, Neville, Daphne, Ernie, Katie, Hannah, Dean, Seamus, and the twins all agreed to assist, as well. After spending much of the past two terms teaching more challenging defensive spells to older students, Harry felt a little overwhelmed by the influx of tiny First, Second, and Third Years who eagerly flooded into the Defense Chamber for their only meeting before the summer holidays. Most of the students were difficult to keep on task and few had much experience casting Shields or Disarming Spells, with a few notable exceptions. Padma and Ron were complimentary of a short Third Year Hufflepuff named Owen Ndimande, who took to casting a shield quickly and encouraged a number of the younger students. Blaise noted that Daphne's sister, a Third Year Slytherin named Astoria, cast the strongest Disarming Charm out of the bunch. Harry thought the girl looked like she was trying to prove something in front of her sister, but he couldn't argue that her edge gave her an advantage. Though the older students all agreed afterward that holding a club meeting for the First, Second, and Third Years had been a success, Harry was glad they were waiting until next term to start really considering adding a younger leader into their mix. It was a bonus that the six leaders had been surreptitiously observing their helpers to help them decide about who should be asked to join their ranks, in case Blaise turned down the offer. With much more free time on his hands, Harry took the opportunity to resume the search of Hogwarts. Despite not understanding the reason a search of the castle was necessary, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Neville all ventured through corridors and into empty classrooms with Harry on occasion. Hermione joined his foray into the library and Harry was happy to hear her laugh more easily than she had in the months leading up to the OWLs. They weren't able to pinpoint anything worth further investigation, but the two of them felt a good deal more ambient magic than they experienced in most of the classrooms. It seemed likely that some of the vast number of books held the enchantments that caused a tingling on the back of their necks, and Madam Pince's vulture-like stare was enough to make anyone's stomach feel slightly uneasy. Harry colored the library red on the map, just in case. Ron helpfully suggested the prefect's bathroom and used the password "Springtime Mist" to allow them both to enter. Whoever had used the room previously had left the pool filled with turquoise water topped with floating rafts of deep purple bubbles that smelled of lavender. The familiar mermaid in the portrait on the far wall brushed her hair with a comb made of a seashell. When they entered, she waved kindly but paid them little mind. In fifteen minutes of searching, neither of the boys found anything of note until Ron started examining the taps next to the long pool at the center of the room. "Oi, Harry!" called Ron excitedly, waving him over with one hand. "This might be something!" Harry rushed over to the spot, considering the possibility that a young Tom Riddle had hidden a horcrux where few students were allowed and that he only could access because of his magical prowess and ability to deceive the staff. He skidded to a stop on the wet floor and bent over to inspect the spot Ron was indicating. "Where is it?" he asked while trying to feel for whatever Ron had sensed. "Here by the tap?" "Yeah, right by the edge!" Harry leaned over and peered into the water. He reached down to push a mass of bubbles out of the way when he felt two hands on his back. Before he could react, a shove toppled him forward. When he emerged from the water, spluttering and swearing vengeance, Ron was doubled over in laughter. Offered his choice of places to check out, Neville unsurprisingly chose the greenhouses. Harry didn't have high hopes of finding any clues there, but he felt better about checking while alongside someone who knew what dangers to avoid. He also noticed that two greenhouses had been moved since the map had originally been drawn, and a third had been added that wasn't shown on the map at all. He resolved to tell Remus about it when the group visited again during the summer so the map could be updated. "Hey, Harry?" came Neville's somewhat hesitant voice as the two of them made their way through the least dangerous greenhouse. "Yeah? Did you find something?" "Err… No, not really," replied Neville sheepishly. "I just had something I wanted to ask you about." Harry hesitated. He'd noticed Neville staring at him with a distant look several times since their discussion of the prophecy. His friend had been quieter than usual, too. As he walked over to where Neville stood, Harry wondered what questions might be at the forefront of the boy's mind. He cast a Muffliato before responding with a "Sure. What's up?" "Well, it's about the prophecy," began Neville, his eyes downcast. "You said that your parents were working with Dumbledore to fight against the Death Eaters before you were born. But they went into hiding, right?" "Yeah, they were a part of the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore started the group to oppose Voldemort. They went into hiding once he told them about the prophecy and that they might be targeted." Neville frowned. "And Dumbledore knew the prophecy was about you?" With trepidation, Harry considered his options. He didn't want to share too much, not just because the secrets were so important, but also out of concern for burdening his friend. On the other hand, he didn't know how much of the story he should keep from Neville. "Not exactly. The thing is, Dumbledore thought there was more than one person the prophecy could be about at the time." The statement hung in the musty, humid air of the greenhouse like an unpleasant odor with no wind to disperse it. Harry wasn't sure if he had said more than he should, and his mind raced as he attempted to think up something to say to relieve the tension. "I think that explains it, then," Neville spoke quietly, his voice hollow. "Gran always brags about my parents and everything they did during the first war, but I remember her telling someone from the Wizengamot how she was happy that she got a year of living with them when I was born. It seemed odd that they'd move back in with Gran. "I'd kind of assumed that was because of me; that maybe I'd been too sickly or something, and that was the reason they had to stop working with the Aurors to fight the war. But now…" It pained him to see Neville this way. Harry knew how awful it felt to blame yourself for the terrible things that happened. "It was because of Voldemort," reassured Harry, trying to remember the ways Ginny encouraged him when he started in on himself. "It's not your fault that your parents wanted to protect you, and what those Death Eaters did isn't because of you." "Yeah, but if not for me, it might not have happened at all," argued Neville. "You can't dwell on what might have been, Nev. Trust me, I've tried it. Something bad could have happened to them just as easily if they hadn't gone into hiding." A deep sigh escaped Neville, but he still seemed unconvinced. "Okay, then. How about this?" Harry mentally scrambled for the right words to say. "Do you think I should blame myself for what happened to my mum and dad?" Neville didn't audibly gasp at the question, but he was certainly taken aback. "No, that's not what I'm saying!" "Then why is okay for you to blame yourself for what happened to your parents? I don't think they'd want you to feel like that. If they believed in fighting against Voldemort enough to risk their lives and cared about you enough to go into hiding to protect you, I think they'd be proud that they were able to keep you safe and that you're joining the same fight as they did." A small nod and a muttered, "Maybe…" was the best Neville could manage in response. Harry hoped that the truth of it would keep sinking in for his friend, even as they resumed their search of the greenhouse. Harry enjoyed his exploration of the castle with Ginny the most. It wasn't just because of the ways that they occasionally became distracted from their stated purposes, though finding a few new out-of-the-way places for a snog was certainly a bonus. More than that, it was fun wandering around aimlessly with his girlfriend. He heard a plethora of stories about her life growing up in the Burrow, including some good material he planned to use to give Ron a hard time. She was especially effusive when sharing about Bill and Charlie, brothers Harry knew a little about but hadn't gotten to see much in person. They explored various classrooms and alcoves, some of which held special memories for one of them or the other. Harry enjoyed recounting some of his adventures from First Year that Ginny had heard about through Ron. She marveled at the bathroom where the boys had fought a troll that was attacking Hermione and was quite intrigued by the third-floor corridor that had once contained Hagrid's giant, three-headed dog. Though Fluffy was long gone, the two lingered in the space long after Harry had marked on the map that the room was worth revisiting. With summer quickly approaching, Ginny's final exams came and went without much fanfare. Harry knew that she was quite bright, even though she didn't always prioritize studying as much as Hermione advised. Harry was unsurprised that Ginny performed exceptionally well in Transfiguration and Charms, though her Defense test had been a woefully unhelpful review of the names and dates of defensive spell creators that would have fit better in History of Magic. There wasn't much time left before the end of the term and Blaise was still hedging about whether he was willing to join the Defense Club leaders for the next year. Hermione suggested meeting on a Saturday afternoon to reconsider options, especially after the successful integration of some of the older students who had helped teach the First, Second, and Third Years. As much as Harry was nervous about inviting someone to join who was dating another of the leaders, he had to admit that Padma was especially good at holding the attention of the younger students. Daphne was also growing stronger as a candidate, especially after producing an impressive bear patronus. Lunch in the Great Hall was loud and chaotic. Students filled with end-of-term energy spoke over each other while trying to savor their last chances to spend time with their friends before the school year ended. Harry and Ginny were just finishing their dessert as an argument between Hermione and Ron came to a close. Though the two still bickered regularly, most of the disagreements weren't as pitched as they'd been in years past. Cho and Cedric approached the Gryffindor table hand in hand, bidding a few quick pleasantries to their older friends before addressing the four other Defense Club leaders. "Hey, you lot! Everyone still up for heading to the Student Lounge?" asked Cedric jovially. "Sounds good, just give me a sec!" Ron hurriedly began inhaling the remnants of his lunch, causing Hermione to roll her eyes. From across the room, Harry noticed Professor Umbridge looking decidedly unhappy as she spoke to the headmaster. Dumbledore's typically warm expression was more stern as Umbridge's body language appeared more blustery. Harry did not envy the man for having to deal with her so often, though he could only imagine the pleasure Dumbledore would have in finally removing her from his staff. With any luck, it would be in front of a large audience, who would surely burst into rapturous applause. Harry and the five other Defense Club leaders headed to the Student Lounge, where they spent an hour and a half discussing various possibilities. In the end, it was determined that they would give Blaise a few more days to make a decision. If he was still unsure or turned them down outright, Daphne would be their next ask, followed by Padma. Having a Slytherin in leadership instead of another Ravenclaw was deemed the tie-breaker between the two girls, both of whom were about equal in terms of defensive spellcasting and ability to teach others. After Cedric had done such a good job recruiting students from his house, the group agreed that adding a Slytherin would be the most helpful available option. The group begrudgingly penciled in Ernie MacMillan as a backup choice, but none of them felt especially positive about the idea of him joining. Ginny, in particular, hadn't forgiven the boy for some of the snide remarks he'd made when Harry had been chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. Harry wasn't holding onto a grudge as much as his girlfriend (especially considering that he'd already forgiven a few nastier things that Ron had said at the time), but Ernie just wasn't someone he wanted to spend much more time alongside. He figured that if Blaise wasn't the pick, one of the girls would likely be willing to join. With that settled and Hermione's meeting notes stored safely in her bag, the group started to pack up their things. They chatted about plans for the summer amiably until a small cough from the doorway to the lounge broke them from their reverie. "Hem, hem…" Harry turned to see Professor Umbridge standing at her full, unimpressive height. She stared at the six of them with loathing, the frustration in her voice apparent despite her attempt at her regular, syrupy-sweet tone. "Good afternoon, students. I have spoken with Minister Fudge this afternoon. He informed me of some disturbing revelations in his investigations into the events of the last year, including the conclusion of the Triwizard Tournament. He has indicated that perhaps…" Her eye twitched as she tried to form the words. "Some of our assumptions regarding the truth of the matter may have been less accurate than we previously believed." Shocked silence blanketed the room as each of the students stared in bewilderment at the consternation painted on Umbridge's face as she spoke. "At great risk to himself, Minister Fudge has ascertained that a certain previously thought to be dead wizard may once again be at large. Despite the insubordinate ways with which you have gone about the destruction of his reputation and career, he is a man of supreme integrity and feels the need to discuss the matter with you. He will be arriving via floo at my office in five minutes, and asked me to invite you to join him." Umbridge looked as if each word she spoke had the effect of one of the twins' Puking Pastilles. Her furious eyes refused to meet Harry's as he allowed a smile to form. "What do you think?" he asked, looking at his gobsmacked friends. "Can we make some time for the former Minister now that we've gotten through our important business?" Ginny, Ron, and Cho all descended into laughter as Umbridge's eyes blazed with malice. Cedric eyed her appraisingly, while Hermione glowered at the woman. "I'm interested in what he may have found out," mused Cedric. "It seemed like it would've taken a lot to change his mind, considering how dug in he's been." "I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him for the way he drug Viktor's name through the mud, accusing it of all being some sort of accident," Hermione spat venomously. "That's fair, but it might be worth talking to him with Voldemort back," Harry continued despite the unsurprising shudder from Umbridge at the sound of Voldemort's name. "More people knowing the truth might mean more people on guard and fewer easy targets." "I just want to hear him say he was wrong," added Ron. "After the hell he's given us over the last year, that'd be something worth seeing!" The professor's nostrils flared in anger at them, no doubt seething at their lack of gratitude at the chance to meet her idol, but she managed to rein in her temper. "Then hurry along. I don't want to keep him waiting!" She turned away from the door and swiftly walked away in a huff, her heels clicking against the floor of the corridor. Ron bolted to his feet and clapped Harry's shoulder, an eager smile plastered across his face. Soon, the six of them were quickly making their way to Umbridge's office, their incensed professor hurrying ahead of them. "Ah, Minister Fudge! You're here sooner than I expected!" Professor Umbridge's simpering voice carried into the hallway as the group approached. "The student you wanted to speak with is just outside." Entering the room, Harry immediately recognized Cornelius Fudge. He'd only met the man on a few occasions, but the memory of him vomiting after the news of Voldemort's return the year prior would have been burned into Harry's brain even if his face hadn't been plastered across various Daily Prophet front-page stories. Two others flanked the man on either side. One was a middle-aged man whose massive size seemed to make Fudge seem all the smaller in comparison. The other was a thin woman whose expression reminded Harry of his Aunt Petunia's severe-looking watchfulness. "Mr. Potter…" breathed Fudge as the group filed into the room. "I must say that I almost expected you to decline my invitation. Terrible business and whatnot, and it's taken me quite some time to track down the information needed to confirm your incredible tale." His eyes darted to the other students quickly before returning his attention to Harry. "With help from my associates here, I have been able to discover crucial insights into how the disastrous ending to the tournament connects to you, personally. It seems that you still have a part to play in all of this." Surprise splashed across Harry's face as questions raced through his mind. Could Fudge have learned something valuable about Voldemort? If Fudge had discovered something about the horcruxes, would more people knowing compromise the work the group had been doing? Or was it possible that they'd found one of the missing horcruxes and worked out things from there? "Well, I'm glad you've finally seen the truth," replied Harry cautiously. "Have you told Professor Dumbledore yet? I'm sure he'll be happy to know you've come around, and he seems like the best person to talk to about fighting Voldemort." Fudge cringed at the name, lamely trying to turn his wince into a cough. "Yes, of course. He's waiting for me at the Ministry right now to discuss our next steps. I believe Madam Bones will be joining us, as well. In the face of dark times such as these, we must present a united front. "As the eye witness who first brought word of the Dark Lord's return, I believe it would help the three of us greatly to have you present as we meet. Though I trust that you have already relayed your experiences to Dumbledore, I will admit that I was not exceptionally thorough when your account was first brought to me. Madam Bones and I would be honored to hear directly from you about what went on that night." Harry reeled inwardly as he wrestled with the news. Dumbledore had never brought up the idea of sharing their work with Minister Bones, much less Fudge. But if things had progressed to the point of looping in the Minister of Magic, something had clearly changed. "I think it'd be fine for me to talk with you and Minister Bones at some point," he hedged, unsure of why he felt suddenly uneasy. "I can talk it over with Sirius and maybe we can do it sometime this summer?" A twinge of frustration leapt into Fudge's eyes but his voice remained measured. "Unfortunately, the Ministry is already woefully behind where it should be. If we are to mobilize against the Dark Lord, time is of the essence. I'm sure your godfather would not mind if you joined us for an hour, especially under Dumbledore's watchful eye." The hulking man on Fudge's side rocked back and forth on his boots. On the other side, the woman rapped her fingers against her sleeve, her arms crossed impatiently. Fudge attempted to look inviting, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I appreciate the invitation, but I promised Professor Dumbledore that I wouldn't leave the castle for any reason. I've already told him everything that happened, so he can fill you in." The excuse didn't sound very convincing as he spoke, but he could see that Ginny was nodding along beside him from the corner of his eye. "If you end up needing me, maybe he could send a patronus? I'm sure Professor McGonagall would be willing to-" "STUPEFY!" |
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