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Author: Sorting Hat Story: All Good Things Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: WIP Reviews: 5 Words: 8,760
A/N: Wow. It's been a whole year and more since I updated this story. Fear not. I shall finish it. In the mean time, you may want to read Rock and a Hard Place, and Hall of the Phoenix first. This story is Pre-HBP. In fact, it's A/U with elements of Order of the Phoenix included, and now, possibly some things from HBP also. Enjoy. Harry's wand whipped up so fast it seemed to materialize out of thin air. His voice was hard and cold as he addressed this new arrival. "I don't know who the hell you are, but there's no way you have any message from Ginny." "I told you. My name is Tonks. And I do have a message from Ginny. See?" Tonks said, holding up a bit of parchment. Harry glared at her for a full fifteen seconds. She didn't back down, so Harry just narrowed his eyes and said, "Cornelius!" "Yes, sir?" the Spirit asked. Harry pointed at Tonks. "She claims to have some sort of message from Ginny Weasley. She says her name is Nymphadora Tonks. Can you verify either of those things?" Cornelius stared at Tonks, and an aura surrounded her for a moment. Tonks flinched, but didn't back away. "Her blood is very similar to that of Mr. Sirius Black. I do not believe she is polyjuiced. It is possible she is a cousin of his. There are no spells of any kind on the parchment she holds, save for that which is contained in wizard ink." "Thank you, Cornelius," Harry said, his voice slightly less cold. He lowered his wand a fraction of an inch. "Please show our guest to the sitting room." "Yes, sir," the Spirit replied and escorted Tonks from the room. Harry turned toward Sirius. "Well?" "She seems genuine. The Spirit is designed to detect booby-trapped objects such as that parchment might have been. I've never known him to be fooled before," Sirius assured Harry. Harry nodded and led the way to the sitting room. There, he could see Tonks pacing impatiently. She moved back and forth quickly, stopping suddenly when he entered the room. "You really should read what she has to say," Tonks said, holding the parchment out to Harry. Harry took it slowly. His eyes swept back and forth across the page as he read what had been written. In moments, he'd finished it. He stared at it for a long time before stuffing it into his pocket, along with his wand. "Let's get back to work. We've got a lot left to do." "Right," Sirius said before Harry could continue, "Tonks, you're with me. Ron, Hermione, go with Harry." Harry watched silently as Sirius guided his cousin from the room, leaving the three friends alone. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but before he could begin, a loud crash cut him off. Harry stepped toward the door, but Sirius' exasperated sigh and Tonks' quip of, "Clumsy me," reassured him. "Now what?" Ron asked. "I don't really feel like playing Quidditch anymore," Harry said, watching Ron's face fall. "Follow me." Ron and Hermione trailed behind Harry, who walked purposefully through the halls. His pleasant demeanor vanished, to be replaced with grim determination. "Harry?" Hermione ventured softly, "What's wrong?" Harry didn't answer, instead stopping before a door which had strange markings over it. "Adeo circumdo igitur," Ron read, totally mangling the pronunciation." Hermione rolled her eyes but translated anyway. "That which once was," she said. Harry nodded. "Wizards today primarily use their wands to duel. They didn't in the past. Wizards back in the middle ages weren't so dependent on them." "Because wands were very erratic in their function," Hermione explained. Ron nodded. Harry mumbled something under his breath and the doors slowly creaked open. Though the door probably hadn't been opened in years, there was no squeak to the hinges. Despite his recent installation as Lord of the Manor, Harry felt a slight buzz along his skin as he stepped into the room. Obviously, this was not an easy room to enter. Ron and Hermione complained of similar sensations. "Wow," Ron said reverently as he gazed around the room. Hermione just stood there, slack jawed. "What's all this?" she finally asked. Harry shrugged. "My dad thought the day might come when wands would prove ineffective against Voldemort. This is the non-magical weapons room." Indeed it was. Swords, shields, crossbows, and weapons of all types lined the room. Looking at them, Harry could see that most of the weapons bore some sort of magical enchantment, though they were not magical themselves. Ron lifted one of the swords, and struck an en guard position. His arm sagged instantly. He put the sword back in place before he could drop it. Hermione took a crossbow, admiring the markings across it and then took aim at a point across the room, only to scream aloud when the bow let loose its arrow. The arrow stuck the point she'd been aiming for, and rebounded straight for Ron's head. He yelled and hit the floor. The arrow reoriented on Harry, who merely glared at it and waved his hand. The arrow exploded. Ron bolted to his feet and instantly whirled on Hermione. "HERMIONE, YOU BUTTERFINGER--" Ron began. Harry cut him off. "Enough," was all Harry said, but such was his tone that Ron fell silent instantly. Harry then continued, "That particular weapon is designed for a situation where you aren't likely to survive if you have to think. It will take out several enemies at once, without any help from you, other than your original aiming." "What's that got to do with us?" Hermione asked her voice shaking as she replaced the bow very carefully, as though she were afraid it might reach out and bite her. "We're going to be training with them before too long. You never know when we might need it," Harry replied. "That's true. I wonder what Malfoy would do after getting his butt kicked without a wand?" Ron asked. "Wet his pants?" Harry speculated. Hermione rolled her eyes at both of them. "Probably run away before he could get his butt kicked, leaving Crabbe and Goyle instead." "Coward," Ron said. Harry agreed. "James Potter always said that family was a line of cowards, sir," Cornelius said, appearing out of nowhere. "Your godfather would like to see you." Harry nodded at the Spirit, who promptly disappeared. Sirius and Tonks were in the main library when Harry and his friends arrived. Harry noted that Sirius had levitated every single loose object in the room to a point high above Tonks' head. Harry noted that both Sirius and his cousin looked highly disgusted. "What's --" Sirius used his wand to roll the wizard Wireless back a few seconds, instead of answering Harry. The announcer's voice came through the air. "Ministry of Magic is advising all loyal witches and wizards in the British Isles to prepare themselves, The Daily Prophet's Arron Satie reports. With the loss of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Minister Umbridge has declared martial law. Those without sufficient shelter should report to Diagon Alley or to Hogsmede. Safe houses have been set up there. Travel quicklyand do not travel at night. It is well known that You-Know-Who employed werewolves as well as other Dark creatures. If you should encounter one of these animals, defend yourself with whatever means necessary. Killing of Dark creatures is not considered a crime by the Ministry in this situation" The hair on the back of Harry's neck stood on end. Before he could say or do anything though, Sirius put a hand on his shoulder. "Moony should stay here," he said softly. "If he's willing." "Yeah," Harry said, the anger in his voice clearly evident. "If I'm willing to what?" Remus said, walking in, with Hermine right behind him. "Moony, I think you should stake out here in the manor for a while," Sirius replied. "Why?" Remus asked. Sirius turned and replayed the wireless report again. When it finished, Remus was pale, and Hermione looked livid. "They can't do that! Remus is a person. He isn't a Dark creature," Hermione snapped. Remus shook his head sadly. "I am a Dark creature, Hermione. Regardless of my disposition right now, on the night of the full moon..." Hermione's face went from angry, to upset, and back to angry again. "It doesn't matter. Dark creature, hah." "Come with me," Remus replied softly, gesturing to all of them. Harry took up the line just behind Remus and his confusion grew with each step they took. Why go back to the gardens? As soon as they arrived, Remus muttered something, and Harry began to understand. Though it was still well before nighttime, the area darkened, showing more stars than Harry had seen in his life. The temperature fell to a comfortable cool, and a fountain began to pour water into its basin. Harry found the sound soothing. "I used to come in here after the full moon to sort of rest and recover. Lily went to a lot of work to see that this place felt comfortable, like it was a place of healing. She put a lot of herself into this garden." "More than you know, Remus." Harry froze as solidly as if he'd been shot with a full body bind. Behind him, he heard Sirius say "Sweet Merlin!" in a strangled voice and heard Tonks gasp. When Harry finally turned around, he found himself face to face with the reason why. Twice he tried to speak, with no success. When he finally managed it, his voice still cracked. "Mum?" "Harry..." Before Harry could say anything more, Lily's arms were wrapped around him. She began to cry, running one hand through his hair while hugging him close with the other. After several minutes, she pushed him to arms length, and looked him up and down. "What a fine young man you've become!" She turned, and apparently noticed the others. "Sirus, Remus. And who are you?" she asked, looking at Hermione. "Hermione Granger. Pleasure." The smile on Hermione's face was one of wonder and joy. Sirius and Remus both looked as if they'd been shocked to the core of their beings. Ron looked bewildered and Tonks beamed with pleasure. "You must be a Weasley," she said to Ron. He nodded. "How did you get here, Mum? I mean, you're...well..." Harry trailed off. "Dead? Yes. I'm Lily Potter and yet I'm not...think of me as a echo of your mother. A part of herself she gave the gardens she loved so much. Harry's throat tightened up so much he couldn't speak. Instead, he just gave his mother another hug. "Someone is missing, isn't she?" Lily asked. Confused, Harry nodded. "My sister is in hospital," Ron muttered. "I see. She's ...close to you, isn't she Harry?" Harry nodded, his eyes shut against the pain in his chest. "You'll get her back. I know you will," Lily leaned toward Harry, and whispered, "Just because I'm not here anymore, doesn't mean I don't want grandchildren." "Mum!" Harry said, turning beet red. She winked at him. Then she turned very serious. "James left you some gifts you can use in the fight you are involved in. Go back to the First Response room, alone, and whisper this incantation," Lily explained, whispering in Harry's ear. Those gifts, as it turned out, were something Harry hadn't expected.
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