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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: 169479; Chapter Total: 1226 Awards: View Trophy Room |
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Harry's patronus message had bounded away only after he and Ginny had watched the dot labeled Prof. S. Snape retreat into what they assumed were his living quarters. With sore knees from kneeling on the stone floor of the potions corridor, the two hurried to the headmaster's office. Fewer prefects or professors were patrolling at such a late hour, but they still moved cautiously for fear of detection. Suits of armor took on a much more sinister appearance in the dark of the night. Harry's heart jumped into his throat when he saw movement from the corner of his eye, sighing in relief when it was only a portrait moving between paintings. By the time he and Ginny silently reached the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office, Harry could feel his hands shaking. "I don't know the password," said Harry grimly. It was the first thing either of them had spoken aloud since Harry had whispered the message for his patronus to carry to Dumbledore. "Help me think of some sweets?" Ginny began ticking off varieties on her fingers as Harry wracked his brain for clues. The headmaster rarely reused passwords, though he vaguely remembered Fizzing Whizbees serving as means of entry twice the previous year. "Is it always magical candy or should I try some muggle sweets?" asked Ginny quietly, rubbing her fingers together as she frowned at the unmoving gargoyle. "I must admit that my choices typically remain within the realm of magical confections, though the speed with which you have listed off many of my previous passwords is enough to make an old man reconsider his security protocols." Harry and Ginny both nearly jumped out of their skin, wheeling around to find Professor Dumbledore smiling at them kindly. "Those with youthful energy such as yourselves may find this hard to believe, but I had already nestled into bed for the night when your message reached me. It seems reasonable to assume, based on the tone of your message and your current demeanor, that whatever your reason for seeking counsel is rather important?" Ginny nodded emphatically while Harry gave a quick, "Yes, sir," while looking down a nearby dark corridor. "In that case, let us hasten into my office so that we may speak more freely. The password is 'Ton Tongue Toffee.'" The gargoyle sprang to the side, but both students remained rooted in place as the headmaster made his way up to his office. "Your brothers are two of the most innovative students to ever set foot in these hallowed halls," called Dumbledore, not bothering to look back at them over his shoulder. "And I must say that some of their creations are tasty enough to make up for their comedic properties." A confused laugh forced its way out of Ginny before both students followed. Dumbledore effortlessly summoned two chairs to the space in front of his desk as he seated himself on its other side. A reproachful trill from Fawkes caused Harry to reach across to the phoenix's perch to stroke the bird's neck, the heat of the bird warming him significantly. Despite looking rather sleepier than Harry was used to seeing him, Dumbledore smiled warmly as the three settled in. "To what shall we attribute this late-night meeting?" Harry and Ginny explained the situation as quickly and in as much detail as they could muster: the warning from Blaise that Draco seemed to be up to something early in the term, Daphne's information about the Slytherin resigning from the quidditch team to pursue something "more important," and their run-in with Malfoy in Hogsmeade. Throughout the explanation, the headmaster listened carefully while betraying no heightened emotion or significant concern. When the story reached the events from earlier in the evening, however, he leaned forward and stroked his beard ponderously. "I see. And having overheard this, you thought it best to inform me right away?" "Yes, sir," answered Harry. "I know that you trust Snape-" "Professor Snape," corrected Dumbledore with a knowing smile. "Right. I know you trust Professor Snape, but we thought it was important that you heard what he was planning with Malfoy." The headmaster nodded sagely as he wandlessly summoned a small, wooden box from a nearby shelf, which alighted on his desk as softly as if it was a feather. He opened its lid so that the two students could see a gaudy necklace within. "While I appreciate how this must appear, there is no need for concern. Forgive my hubris, but I have had witches and wizards far more clever and powerful than young Draco Malfoy fail in their attempts to do me in. You must excuse me for not worrying greatly about his half-hearted forays into the world of assassination." Harry wasn't sure, but Dumbledore's tone reminded him of the headmaster of old. The serenity that approached dismissiveness. The air of being above the fray. "Okay, but that's not the most concerning part of the whole thing, right?" asked Ginny. "Snape is working for Voldemort!" "How are your Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape proceeding, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore's smile did not falter as he deftly ignored her assertion and redirected. "Have you been learning how to guard your mind from intrusion and how to use those skills to protect the truth you seek to keep obfuscated?" The headmaster's change of subject appeared to irk Ginny, but she maintained her composure as she answered with forced calm. "They've been going well. Professor McGonagall said she's pleased with our progress and believes the three of us are ahead of schedule." "And which professor has been teaching this exceptionally difficult and crucial branch of magic, first to Harry and now to the three of you?" Dumbledore waited a moment for Ginny to answer. She took a long breath through her nose and released it slowly, a method of calming oneself that Harry had been forced to practice often in Occlumency, then gave the headmaster a stiff nod. "One possessing the mental acuity and wherewithal to master such a challenging branch of magic might use their skills in a variety of settings, including guiding someone working for our enemy into paths which might prove more advantageous to our cause." Dumbledore peered at them kindly through his half-moon spectacles. "I am not one prone to giving away information lightly, so I hope you will not hold it against me if I do not share the inner workings of Professor Snape's role in the fight against Voldemort. Let it suffice to say that I would expect him to do nothing less than what you have described." Despite the headmaster's unbothered demeanor, Harry wasn't convinced. The headmaster's calm made Harry feel less at ease. "It doesn't worry you that he's one of the people we added to the group?" "Not in the slightest, although you did the right thing by informing me at once." The aged professor did his best to stifle a yawn behind his hand. "I am confident that I will be given a detailed report about the meeting between Professor Snape and young Mr. Malfoy within the next few days. Should I have any concerns that I believe your perspective can illuminate further, I will undoubtedly call upon you both. Until such a time as that occurs, please neither worry yourselves or others over the matter. You may rest assured that I am aware of your concerns." ~RLM~ Harry thought Kingsley would be damn proud. The Advanced Defense class was nearly over and all the students were resting on the sidelines as Professor Flitwick reformed some of the cover that had been blasted apart in the previous duel. Three professors (McGonagall, Flamel, and Snape) stood alongside Moody and Dumbledore, awaiting the final bout of the evening. Dueling days were one of the absolute highlights for Harry, who reveled in the lightning-quick, think-on-your-feet nature of the competition. Hermione and Cho often managed to master new spells a bit faster than him, and Ron and Blaise both came up with tactics and plans of attack that earned more praise, but the actual execution of it all in a battle was where Harry shone brightest. When others noted the fact that he was by far the most proficient dueler, Harry rarely did more than shrug and attempt to point out the strengths of those around him or his own missteps. Even so, it was becoming clearer each session that his skills had grown substantially. "Splendid work, all of you," called out the headmaster as he gathered the group for instructions. "I believe we have sufficient time for one more attempt. Students, are there any of you who wish to sit this final duel out?" Harry glanced at his classmates, unsurprised to see none volunteer to forgo the chance for one last battle. Ron had been gripping his right shoulder gingerly but did his best to make the injury look more minor as he moved closer to the group. Padma nudged him with her elbow and looked at him with a touch of frustration, but he shook his head stubbornly and kept his focus on Dumbledore. "Very well! As much as I enjoy inter-house cooperation, I believe we have not yet given the Gryffindors a chance to work together. That would leave the five of you against Miss Chang, Miss Buchanan, Miss Greengrass, Miss Patil, and Mr. Zabini." Excited chatter from the students echoed through the chamber as the two contingents formed and awaited instructions. "Sir, I know Ron's shoulder is still hurting a bit," offered Padma as she moved toward her group. "I don't mind sitting out if he needs to." Harry could see some frustration bubbling up within his friend but knew better than to suggest he not compete. The headmaster looked at Ron skeptically but said nothing. "I'm alright to have a go," replied Ron, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore and not glancing at Padma. "It's a bit sore, but I want to practice fighting through even if I'm not at one hundred percent. I've needed to keep going after way more serious injuries before and want to get experience dueling in real-life conditions." McGonagall pursed her lips and looked ready to object, but Moody let out a harumph of a laugh. "That's what I like to see! It's no use only practicing when you're in perfect health. You need to test out what your body and magic can do when you've been roughed up a bit. I say let him try it and tell Poppy it's his own damn fault if he ends up in the hospital wing." Ron looked quite encouraged by Moody's vote of confidence until the last bit about Madam Pomfrey, which deflated him somewhat. Padma's exasperation was visible as she joined her teammates. "Since you have so eloquently advocated for Mr. Weasley's inclusion, Alastor, would you join Minerva alongside the Gryffindor group? Filius? Severus? Would you each be willing to join your students for the last bout?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he surveyed the combatants. "Expect me to announce a surprise toward the end of the duel. Take to the opposite ends and prepare for the battle to commence." Professor Flitwick accepted the invitation with gusto as Professor Snape strode toward his students. As the adults joined their group, Ron was whispering strategy to the other Gryffindors. "Okay, everyone start casting the Quiet Feet charms, and we can do Disillusionment once we've taken our positions. We've talked through this scenario before, but we didn't know we'd have Moody on our side so let's change from what we'd been planning just a bit: Hermione, Parvati, and I should go with Mad-Eye while Ginny and Harry stick with McGonagall. They've got the best mobility in a battle, which should help make up for only having two allies with her. If you three can get around behind the others, we can press an advantage by making them defend in two directions." "Well reasoned, Mr. Weasley," agreed McGonagall. "And what if we are stymied trying to get behind them?" "Our group can approach more cautiously, looking and listening for signs that you've been cut off," suggested Hermione. "Hopefully, you wouldn't be outnumbered for too long and we could still attack their group from the side." Ron nodded. "It wouldn't be as tactically advantageous as being on opposite sides with them in the middle, but their attention would still be split in two directions." "And we wouldn't have to worry about friendly fire," added Parvati with a slightly concerned look. "I'd rather not have an errant spell from one of them hit us." Moody, whose eye had rolled backward in his head, grunted in assent. "It's a good plan and we don't have the time to come up with anything different. Albus is going to start this party off any second now. Any targets you want us to focus on?" "The sooner we knock out the professors, the better," answered Harry. "As for the students, Shannon's a lot better at defense, so I'll bet she'll be covering for others to free them to focus more on offensive spellcasting. If we take her off the board, it may force their group to rethink tactics mid-fight." Green sparks flashed from Dumbledore, signifying the beginning of the match. The two squads broke apart with Ron shouting, "Go Team Gryffindor!" Over the footsteps of Ginny, McGonagall, and himself, Harry heard Moody swear vehemently before reminding them that he'd been in Hufflepuff. The three darted forward as far as they dared before Ginny ducked behind a large piece of cover near the midway point of the chamber, with Harry and McGonagall coming to a halt against it beside her. In practiced motions, Harry peeked around the cover with his wand drawn as Ginny made a break for the nearest cover in the direction they were aiming. Once she was safely in place, McGonagall followed her lead as both students watched for danger. Finally, Harry made the dash to their spot before the three repeated the process. They switched their order of moving forward and the intervals between their sprints in case their opponents were looking for a pattern, but nothing indicated that they had been spotted. After skirting around the outside of the arena, the three huddled behind a particularly large piece of cover to regroup. McGonagall knelt while Harry and Ginny peeked around the sides to watch for their opponents, quietly conferring about strategy. "I would've thought we'd have seen someone by now," whispered Ginny, diligently scanning the nearby area for any sign of movement. "Think they're playing defense?" "Probably bet that we'd go on the attack and opted to hang back and prepare," replied Harry. McGonagall was slightly out of breath from their quick sprint across the chamber, nodding in response to her students' thoughts. Ginny regarded her professor before looking back out around the cover. "Then we'll need to be careful as we're approaching. They probably set traps or ambushes, maybe both." A silvery terrier bounded toward them, standing in front of McGonagall and speaking with Ron's voice. "Moody says they've consolidated cover into a defensible position near the wall. Let's advance slow and steady." The patronus dissipated into nothingness as McGonagall, Ginny, and Harry looked at each other. "I don't like sending such visible messengers back and forth, but if Moody says they're all holed up on the far wall, I guess it's alright," muttered Harry. "Disillusionment charms then we start moving. Call out when you see something!" Harry cast the charm on himself, as did McGonagall and Ginny. The professor made an impressed noise as both students became translucent, barely needing to shore up either of their work. Ginny's spell left her hair slightly too visible and Harry's feet and ankles had stubbornly refused to cooperate, but a quick tap from their Head of House finished the job well. Harry pressed forward to the next conjured cover, diligently surveying ahead as Ginny and McGonagall followed behind him, and then while Ginny ran ahead to the next cover. Once McGonagall and Harry joined her, they could see a rough semicircle of boulder-like objects arranged against the stone wall of the chamber. From their left, a small jet of blue light flew toward the cover, only to clang harmlessly into an impressive shield that encased the entire area. The weak spell fizzled into nothingness, its purpose fulfilled by alerting its team to the rippling shield. Ginny placed her index fingers on Harry's back, drawing two arrows moving forward simultaneously. He grunted a quiet yes to her and prepared to run. "Professor, we'll go on either side to the next closest cover, then you can use this one as a shield to move forward," Ginny whispered so quietly that Harry could barely make out what she said. "Give us a few seconds to get set before you go for it?" McGonagall agreed. The two students wasted no time barreling toward their targets, hastily pressing forward at a sprint. Halfway to his destination, Harry felt a twinge of realization as he crossed what he thought must be the trip wire for some sort of magical trap. He called out to Ginny to fall back as he skidded to a stop, only for the cover he had been running toward to fly up into the air and explode, raining down debris in all directions. Ginny's intended cover had done the same, leaving both previously invisible attackers covered in dust and exposed. Something in the trap they'd sprung had wiped away their Disillusionment. A flurry of angry jets of red light shot through the space that had just been occupied by the now-exploded cover. Harry dove to the ground, allowing the spells to whiz over his prone body but biting the inside of his cheek in the process. One jinx flew so close to his ear that he could feel the heat of it across his face. He scrambled backward in an attempt to reach some semblance of safety, bits of debris clattering all about him as he moved. Ginny's frustrated cry alerted him that she'd been struck by one of the stunners as her voice was cut off mid-yell. When McGonagall's cover raised into the air, Harry shielded his face from the explosion. Instead of a thunderous boom, he heard the whoosh of his professor sending the cover careening toward the incoming spellfire and the surprised yelps of their attackers as they dodged the huge projectile. Despite lying on the ground, Harry trained his wand at where the cries of surprise had emanated and fired a series of Stunning Spells at where he guessed his opponents might have landed. "Two still up over here!" called out Blaise from near where Harry was aiming. "Potter and McGonagall!" The taste of blood in his mouth sharpened Harry's focus as he rolled away from a volley of returned fire. He rushed to rejoin McGonagall, who had taken a defensible position a bit further back after losing her invisibility and sending her cover at their opponents. As he sprinted in her direction, a diminutive figure behind her also became visible as a red light glowed from Professor Flitwick's wand tip. Harry didn't have time to call out a warning, but leveled his wand at the Charms professor and cast a stunner at the same time as the dueling champion. Red light bathed the area in an eerie glow as both professors fell to the floor in a heap. Harry had no time to celebrate besting Flitwick, as he was forced to conjure a hasty shield to prevent Cho's expelliarmus from the opponents' fortifications from disarming him. As soon as he'd retreated to a safer distance, Harry swore to himself. Even with Flitwick knocked out, he was in a dire position having lost both Ginny and McGonagall. He considered attempting to rejoin the other contingent but knew Ron's plan required attacking from two fronts. He spat some of the blood from his mouth and wiped off his glasses before peering back around his cover. Whatever spell had ended their Disillusionment had apparently done so for all the combatants. Harry could see that Professor Snape, Blaise, and Cho were firing at the other group, while Shannon and Padma were unconscious on the ground. With all three focused on Moody's contingent, Harry tried to move into a better attacking position. He moved stealthily, despite his recast Quiet Feet spell not taking effect. He gritted his teeth when he approached cover somewhat near his opponents' stronghold, but this time the boulderish impediment neither levitated nor exploded. Harry let out a small sigh of relief as he pressed his back into its cold, hard exterior. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a swift movement between two of the bits of cover he'd used while moving forward. Barely visible peeking around her cover, Daphne maneuvered herself into a position to fire a spell at Harry, even though it would be at a difficult angle. He didn't dare make a run for it away from her for fear of running straight into the arms of his other three opponents. Instead, he feigned a stare away from her and toward her teammates. Sure enough, Daphne decided to risk moving into a more advantageous position rather than giving herself away by firing a spell unlikely to strike Harry. As she darted from one cover to another, Harry concentrated with all his might on the motions and incantation to cast a Disarming spell, the charm he felt most confident to use wordlessly. A jet of light burst from his wand, colliding with Daphne moments before she made it to safety. Her wand swept from her hand, spinning gracefully through the air and into Harry's outstretched hand. "POTTER IS STILL UP!" came Daphne's voice, echoing through the chamber louder than Harry ever thought he'd heard her yell. "HE'S THIS WAY AND HAS-" Harry slashed his wand in Daphne's direction and cried "Silencio!" Her warning was abruptly cut off, but he had no doubt that the remaining opponents had gotten the message of where he was hiding. He licked the inside of his cheek, wincing at the sting of jagged flesh and the taste of blood. With a deep breath, he steeled himself for an assault on the remaining opponents, until the headmaster's magnified voice rang out across the chamber. "Attention combatants! Those of you remaining will now join forces to attempt to withstand my attack!" Harry's eyes grew wide as Dumbledore's apparent excitement at the prospect was easy to hear as his voice echoed off the stone walls. "I will enter the fray in one minute's time! Prepare yourselves!" Without waiting a moment longer, Harry rushed toward the fortifications where he'd last seen the others. Hermione arrived just ahead of him, joining Professor Snape and Cho, who was motioning them in through a small gap in the cover encircling the defensible position by the wall. "We don't have much time! Is there anyone else from your side?" Harry shook his head and Hermione did the same, looking at Snape. "Professor Dumbledore made the announcement as soon as you knocked out Professor Moody. He and I were the last two up from our group." Before the four could begin to come up with a plan, Daphne slid through the gap and into their midst. She tried to say something to them, but nothing audible came out of her mouth. She stared at Harry crossly as he fumbled with his wand to end the silencing spell and returned her wand. "Dumbledore knows I disarmed and silenced you, so he might not be expecting a fifth person on our team," Harry explained. "Element of surprise?" If Harry had been looking at any of the other students, he would have missed the almost-impressed look on Snape's face. "That will likely be one of our only advantages," the professor acknowledged, his dark eyes falling upon Daphne. "The headmaster will be alert to all manner of possible spells, but perhaps a quickly-cast stunner could take him unaware. He is likely to move swiftly to bring the point of attack to us." Daphne nodded and turned to exit the stronghold. Hermione called out, "Try to catch him while he's moving toward us. If we can draw his attention, it may give you an opening!" "Or I might startle him and give you a chance to return fire while he blasts me into a million pieces," retorted the Slytherin as she sped away. Cho started to ask Snape about defensive strategy when green sparks erupted toward the high ceiling of the chamber. She swore to herself before asking, "Shields?" "You might as well," replied Snape, staring unblinkingly across the chamber at where the spark had signaled. "He will no doubt shred through them like paper, but it may give us a better idea of his bearing as he approaches." Harry didn't doubt the potion master was correct but didn't appreciate his professor's negativity. Still, Harry, Hermione, and Cho raised magical shields around their position. "The headmaster loves a spectacle, and I doubt he will resist the urge to unleash something meant to intimidate you to gain advantage," intoned Snape as his gaze drew across the chamber. "Steel your nerves." The ear-splitting sound of spells screaming through the air was the only warning Harry had before he felt his shield spell crumble beneath the power and fury of a neon yellow jet of light that exploded upon impact with nearby cover. It showered sparks down upon them and made Harry squint due to its brightness. Two sprays of similar sparks indicated that Hermione's shield and the one Cho had met the same fate as his, which startled Harry. All three shields had been cast in different directions, but all of them falling at once meant- "Multi-form!" yelled Harry into the chaos of the battlefield. "He's coming from all sides!" As soon as he warned the others of Dumbledore's tactics, three of the nine huge pieces of cover that had been fashioned into fortifications were shaken violently before they were summoned away from their semi-circle. They careened across the chamber, each ending up floating in midair above one of the headmaster's forms. All four of the defenders ducked behind the remaining cover, but they were already much more exposed than they had been. Three more of the conjured pieces of cover shook themselves free of the stone ground. Harry watched helplessly as Hermione and Cho's cover abandoned them. Before they could scramble for safety, powerful stunners rendered them both unconscious. Snape pressed himself against one of the remaining pieces of cover as Harry pointed his wand at the one he knelt against. His idea seemed ill-advised, but Harry had no time to come up with a better plan. He cast a sticking charm just as his cover began to shudder. Harry slammed his back into where he'd aimed his charm just in time to meet Snape's bewildered gaze. He managed a sheepish shrug before the cover was summoned into the air, speeding him away from the dumbstruck professor just as stunners pierced the man's hastily conjured shield. The cover rocketed to join the two hovering over one of the Dumbledores, pulling Harry along with it. While not as heavy as a similarly-sized boulder, the unpleasant thought of being crushed beneath it was not comforting. Despite his reticence, Harry pointed his wand downward at his headmaster. A flash of light beneath three of the other floating former pieces of the fortification caught Harry's eye. Below him, Dumbledore loosed a very amused swear and began to smile broadly. It wasn't much of an opening, but Harry thought it likely to be the best chance he'd get. He wordlessly concentrated on casting "Expelliarmus!" and red light sped down at his opponent. The headmaster's smile had not yet left his lips when his wand flew out of his hand and into the outstretched grasp of his student. A powerful cry from the last Dumbledore raised every remaining piece of cover in the entire chamber before Harry had a chance to celebrate. He watched in disbelief as the headmaster sprinted at breakneck speed toward Daphne, who was standing triumphantly over a stunned figure. A spell struck her before she could even make a move to conjure a shield, and she toppled over on top of the body on the ground. The last Dumbledore turned his eyes toward Harry, who had decided to drop the twenty feet to the stone ground, only to realize that he could not extricate himself from his cloak that was still stuck to the levitating cover. The headmaster pointed his wand at the trapped student and Harry could only think of attempting a shield. He whipped his own wand forward with one hand and the wand he'd just won through disarming with the other and bellowed, "PROTEGO!" The familiar red of a stunner flashed from the last Dumbledore's wand as Harry felt his shields materialize. He concentrated as much power as he could into them as the spell honed in on him, sweat beading on his brow, and gave an extra push just as the light connected with his shield. A deafening sound like Hagrid angrily striking a huge gong rang out through the chamber. The red light ricocheted off Harry's shield before obliterating a floating piece of cover. Harry's jaw went slack out of surprise for a moment, and he thought he could see a similar look of shock on the headmaster's face. Another red light flew from Dumbledore, then another. The first clanged off the shield again and destroyed another nearby cover, while the second exploded with enough force to drop the shield. Harry attempted to reform his protection, but he was absolutely spent. His arms hung limp as a final jet of light struck him squarely in the chest. Harry Potter's unconscious body slid limply out of his outer cloak into the awaiting arms of the headmaster he'd disarmed, who wandlessly guided his student safely to the ground. |
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