Harry Potter and the Unanswered Question

Harry Potter and the Unanswered Question

Chapter Four: Midnight Strolls and Heart-to-Hearts

That night, as Harry lay in bed, he thought about his parents. It hadn't really sunk in that he was staying at his parents' old house (rebuilt by Dumbledore). He was sure it hadn't looked like this when they had lived there, or had it? He thought back to the third year, when he had been able to hear his parents screaming and pleading with Voldemort and thought, this is where it happened. This is where He killed them. It hadn't really occurred to him that this was the place where he had got his legendary scar. This was where Voldemort had sentenced him to a life of pain that would ultimately end in or with murder. A hatred worse than anything Harry had felt before rose up in him. Voldemort had taken everything from him. His parents, Sirius, a normal life, he could blame it all on Voldemort. He closed his eyes and listened to Ron's gentle breathing. What else would He take from him? What would be left in the end? Would he lose his friendships that meant so much to him? If he did kill Voldemort, what would he be left with? Harry pondered all of these questions as he fell into a fitful sleep.

He awoke the next morning to the sunlight streaming through his window. He felt as though he hadn't gotten any sleep that night. He looked over at Ron's bed and found him still fast asleep. He got up and got his father's journal out again and opened it to where he had left off.

Monday September, 13

This Friday is a full moon. One problem though. You see Nat has this Ravenclaw party she wants me to go to. I don't know what to tell her. Don't get me wrong, I really like Natalie, I just can't ditch my friends for her. And Nat will want an explanation if I don't go to her Ravenclaw party, but I can't tell her the truth! What am I supposed to do?

Tuesday September, 14

I talked to Moony and Wormtail and they said they would understand if I showed up late Friday. Padfoot didn't seem as enthusiastic about it. He walked out of the dormitory when I told him I wanted to go to Nat's party, and then meet up with them later. He thinks I need to be there when Moony first transforms, but I don't see what difference it will make if I go as soon as he transfers or if I wait a few hours!

Harry felt sorry for his father. He heard a soft knock on the door. It was Hermione. "Hi. I just got here," she told him.

"Hi," he replied.

They went downstairs where they could talk and not wake Ron. "I looked up Natalie Brookes like you asked," she told him.

"And?" he asked.

"And I haven't found a lot yet. She was in the same year as your parents. She was in Ravenclaw, a prefect. Her father was a wizard, her mother a Muggle. She had one brother, also in Ravenclaw," she told him.

"Where is she now?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I'll keep looking if you want," she told him.

"Okay, thanks Hermione," he told her. He picked up a piece of bacon and ate it while thinking about his parents. Hermione must have noticed the look on his face.

"Harry, is something wrong?" she asked.

"I was just thinking about my parents," he admitted.

"Oh," she replied. "Is it hard?" she asked.

"A little," he told her. "I just try not to think about it," he lied.

Just as they were finishing their breakfast, Ron came down. "Morning," he greeted. "Hermione! You're here!" he exclaimed. He sat down with them and picked up some sausages. "How was your trip?" he asked

"It was fine," she told him. A few minutes later Ginny came downstairs. "Hi, Ginny," she said.

"Hi Hermione," she answered. Ginny picked up a piece of toast and ate it.

After breakfast the four friends retired to the drawing room. Hermione immediately buried herself in a book. Ginny turned to Harry. "So, have you thought about if you are going to continue the D.A. when we return?" she inquired.

"Not really," he told her.

"I think you should," she said.

"Yeah, mate. It would be fun!" Ron added.

"People like hearing and learning from someone who has been there, doing what they are teaching," Hermione pointed out.

"I'll think about," Harry replied.

While the foursome sat, lost in their own thoughts, Lupin entered the drawing room. "Hello," he greeted them.

"Hello," they all chorused. Lupin sat down next to Harry.

"Enjoying the place, Harry?" he asked.

"It's nice," Harry answered. "Professor, can I ask you something?" he questioned.

"Of course, but one thing, I'm no longer your teacher Harry, you can call me Remus, or Moony, if you prefer," he told him.

"Alright, Prof...err...Moony, is this how my parents house looked before...before they died?" Harry asked.

"Not quite," Lupin admitted. "It was messier. Your parents weren't the greatest housekeepers in the world, but the overall layout is correct. Even the placement of the furniture is similar. James loved to sit in a chair by that window," he said while pointing to the window directly behind Harry. Harry turned around to look out the window. He noticed that he could see the same hill and pond that he could see from his bedroom. He gave a small, sad smile. "The outside looks very similar, but not quite an exact replica," Lupin added.

Mrs. Weasley entered the drawing room and asked them all to help her organize the books in there. Hermione immediately jumped at the chance. The others agreed, albeit a little reluctantly. Lupin reached over and squeezed Harry's shoulder. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here," he offered.

"Thanks," Harry replied.

That night at dinner, Mr. Weasley asked everyone when they wanted to go to Diagon Alley to get their school things. They agreed to wait 'til the last week before term to go. After dinner Harry and Ron went up to their room to get ready for bed.

"Good night, Harry," Ron said as he got into his bed.

"Good night, Ron," he replied.

Harry lay in bed for a long time, but sleep just wouldn't come. He finally gave up. He got up, grabbed his father's journal and went downstairs to the drawing room. He opened the journal and began reading where he had left off.

Thursday September 16

I've talked it over with Padfoot and I'm going to the party with Nat first, then going to meet them in the Forest afterwards. I hope the party is worth it. It will have to be good, to miss part of my full-moon night with the Marauders.

Saturday September 18

Where do I begin? That Ravenclaw party was definitely a bit boring, but what happened afterwards, now that's something to write about. Nat and I had decided to go for a walk before calling it a night. We were walking on the second floor corridor when we heard arguing coming from an unused classroom. We moved closer to see what was going on. Inside were Frank Longbottom and Lily Evans, arguing loudly about Voldemort and something called the Order. They froze when they saw Nat and me. Lily immediately went into Head Girl mode and threatened us with detention so I reminded her that I was Head Boy and Natalie was a prefect so we had just as much a right to wander the halls at night as she did. Lily stared for a minute then she told us she would forget she saw us if we would forget we had seen her. We agreed. We left, but I will find out what Evans and Longbottom were up to!

Harry closed the journal. So, his mother and Neville's father had been in the Order before they had graduated. He thought that the Order had been started after they had graduated. He was sure Dumbledore had told him that. He decided maybe there was more Dumbledore didn't know, besides his father and co. animagus powers. He was pulled out of his musings by the soft patter of feet on wood. He looked up to see Ginny standing in the door to the drawing room.

"Sorry Harry, I just...well, I heard you come downstairs. I figured you couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come see if you were okay," Ginny quickly explained. "And there's something I wanted to show you," she added.

"What?" he asked.

"Come with me", she told him. He followed her outside and along a path. The path led up the hill he had seen outside his window. She led him right up to the old oak tree.

"Why did you bring me here, Gin?" he asked. Ginny just pointed at the ground under the oak. Harry looked closer. He noticed two headstones. Finally it hit him. "My parents," he breathed. Ginny just nodded before walking a little ways away and sitting down. He looked down at the tombstones. One read, Lily Marie Evans Potter, loving mother, wife and friend, savior of our world. The other said, James Harold Potter, loving father, husband and most loyal friend, a hero to us all. Harry took a deep breath. He could feel his eyes stinging. As he looked down at his parents' graves, he felt two emotions: grief and hate. Grief at never knowing his parents and hate for the man who had taken them from him. He punched the stone of his father's grave while tears watered the ground bellow him. Voldemort would pay. He would pay for every family he destroyed, for every person he hurt. He didn't care what he had to do, he would make Voldemort pay.

Harry regained his composure as Ginny came over and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked

"No, but I will be," he replied.

"You know, you can talk to me," she quietly offered. Without really thinking, he began to talk. He explained his feelings of guilt; he spoke of his anger, anger at himself, at Wormtail, at Voldemort. He told her how helpless he felt. He almost told her about the prophecy, but stopped at the last minute. He decided Neville had a right to know before anyone else. Finally, when he had poured out his heart to her, he turned and looked at her.

"I hate him. I hate him like I've never hated anyone," he admitted. Ginny was shocked, he could tell. "I'm not perfect Potter, you know. I feel things like hate, jealousy and rage just like a normal person!" he told her bitterly.

"I know," she calmly answered. "But you see, your are different. While you might feel those things, you would never act on them. You're too good, Harry," she assured him. He thought back to the Ministry a few months ago when he had attempted to use the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix.

"I'm not so sure about that," he told her.

"I am," she said. He decided to drop it for now. He looked up at the sky. It was a very clear night. "Mars is bright tonight," she commented. He smiled a little. She had just reminded him of the centaurs from his first year. He told her so. She gave a small laugh. They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Ginny was starting to get sleepy. Without really realizing what he was doing, he put his arm around Ginny and pulled her to him so that her head was resting on hi shoulder. She gave a small sigh. They sat like that for a few minutes.

"Gin, it's late. We should probably go back to the house," he told her.

"Okay," she agreed. They slowly made their way back down the hill and to the house.

"And Gin? Thanks," he said before making his way upstairs to his bedroom.

"Your welcome," she said to his retreating back before heading to her own room where she fell asleep dreaming dreams she thought were long since dead.