The Weight of the World

Chapter 2 - The Leaky Cauldron and Revelations

His final days at the Dursleys were uneventful. They all left him alone in his room, and didn't acknowledge him when he came down stairs for meals. He would get a helping, take it back to his room, then quietly take his dishes back down later and wash them clean. He didn't even bother to unpack his trunk. There was no need really. He felt as though time was passing at snail pace. He was used to being put to work as soon as he got home for the summer, but since this didn't take place he found himself unusually bored. He didn't have any friends, and he didn't really have any place he could go so he had nothing to do but wait. And this was a bad thing for someone who had more than their share of problems. Even though he knew that Voldemort was the reason Cedric was dead, he still had to take some of the blame for being so noble. He knew that had Cedric taken the cup by himself he would have probably died anyway, but this didn't make him feel any better. He was also really worried about Sirius. Hell he was even worried about Snape now knowing what he was risking and who he was fighting for.

Harry was expecting the knock on the door from his uncle telling him it was time to go when it came. He had all of his stuff by the door and Vernongrabbed his trunk and carried it down stairs. Harry took one last look at his small bedroom and a glint of sorrow draped across his mind. Was he really going to miss this place? He didn't think so as he smiled and closed the door behind him.

It wasn't until he and his uncle were in London, before the silence between them was broken.

"So, what is this Leaky Cauldron place I am supposed to take you?" his uncle said spitting. "Your professor gave me directions, but I have been to place where he is talking about and I don't remember seeing a place called that."

"Well it's a very small…. errrrr.... bed and breakfast that wizards sometimes stay in," Harry replied knowing his uncle would have been a bit more spastic had he mentioned it was a pub.

When they got close he and his uncle found a place to park and gathered Harry's things and began to walk towards where the Leaky Cauldron should be.

"See, don't see it anywhere. Probably don't have a sign do they, or is your professor just mistaken?" Dursley commented.

"Just follow me sir, I'll show you were it is,” Harry said as he took the lead.

As far as his uncle could tell Harry was walking right at a wall, and it wasn't until Harry opened the door, before his uncle could see what a minute ago wasn't there.

"Where did. I didn't see this sign. It's so dark.” He kept mumbling something as Harry reached over and pulled his uncle inside the door.

"Harry! Nice to see ya!" Tom said as he and his uncle walked in.

"Look everyone, it's Harry Potter,” A small witch said from the corner. Several heads turned and the pub got quiet for a moment as everyone stared at them in the doorway. Then everyone suddenly waived and started shouting hellos and approached them.

"All friends of yours?" his uncle said with a fearful look on his face.

Harry could tell that it took every ounce of energy his uncle had to just stand upright in a place like this. The petrified look on his uncle's face turned to sheer terror as everyone came up and started shaking heand Harry's hands and talking so fast he couldn't understand them. It wasn't until Dumbledore approached them did everyone subside and let them follow him to the private room in the back where he had arranged for them.

"Mr Dursley, I hope you and Harry had a good journey here?" Dumbledore said as he waited for them to take their seats.

"Yes, fine thanks. Should I just leave Harry with you now or do you need me to stick around for a bit longer?" You could tell by the look on his face he was almost praying that Dumbledore would let him go.

"Well, I was thinking we could eat our lunch here and maybe talk a bit. I am very interested in hearing more about you and maybe discussing a few things with Harry."

"Oh,” Vernon said with a disappointed look on his face. "Sure that sounds fine I suppose."

They all took their seats and Harry couldn't help but shoot Dumbledore a small grin after looking at how pinned up his uncle seemed in his chair. Dumbledore returned the grin and then immediately called for Tom to get them some drinks.

"Butterbeer?" Vernon said with an appalled look on his face. "Isn't he a bit young to be drinking beer"

Dumbledore smiled at him and replied, "It's not like the beer you drink, not as strong I mean, Harry has had it before I assure you and he remains unaffected by it."

When Tom brought the three mugs to their table Vernon was extremely apprehensive as he picked up his mug and took a small slurpy drink. His eyes immediately opened wide and an unmistakable smile crept onto his face.

"This is…..well this is unbelievably good,” He said before quickly taking another gulp from his mug.

"I knew you would approve of it," Dumbledore said as he and Harry shared another large smile.

After they all ordered their food, Vernon ordered a dragon burger thinking it was a just a funny name for a regular spicy hamburger, Dumbledore and Vernon began some small talk about the weather and things of that sort while they ate. Vernon, however, stopped middle sentence when the large hamburger was put in front of his face. The smell of it was so good that he lost his entire train of though. He lost it immediately again when he sank his teeth into the tastiest burger he had ever had. After they all finished their meals Dumbledore shifted the talk to Harry.

"Harry as I told your uncle last week, I think it would be best for you to stay at Hogwarts for the summer. There are some things we can help each other with and there is much to be done otherwise as I am sure you know."

Harry simply nodded, as Vernon looked confused.

Dumbledore shifted to Vernon once again and continued his conversation. "I know you are concerned for your family, but I can assure you they will be safe and you won't be found. There are certain protections that were made many years ago to make sure that your home was safe and watched closely"

"What do you mean watched closely? You don't mean cameras do you?" Vernon replied in a worried sense.

"No I mean magically watched. We can tell if magic is performed there. And I do believer that you know a Mrs. Arabella Figg,” Dumbledore said.

"Why yes I do, she keeps Harry from time to time. But what has she got to do with anything?"

"She has been watching Harry more intently than you know. She was sent the day that his parents where killed to make sure he was safe. She is a very powerful witch and has been an attribute in our fight against the Dark Lord."

Harry was letting his mind slip, but he had no problems pulling it back when he had heard about Mrs Figg. "She was a very powerful witch" he thought to himself.

They really did make sure he was safe there didn't they.

"Mrs Figg is a witch?" Vernon said wide-eyed.

"I understand that you have reservations towards some of our kind," Dumbledore said as he gave Harry a small smile. "but I assure you that we are just like you, as you now see with Mrs Figg. You trusted her to keep Harry safe, the same way that we trusted Harry would be safe with you all of these years. You see Mr. Dursley, Voldemort, the very powerful dark wizard, that killed Harry's parents didn't come to their hideout the night they were killed looking for to kill them. He came looking to kill Harry."

Vernon's look of terror reappeared on his face as he slowly glanced at Harry then back to Dumbledore.

"Why would anyone have wanted to kill a baby?" Vernon said.

"Well that answer is very complicated. You see some wizards, and people in general for that matter, think that we make our own choices and that there isn't a so called fate that pre-determines our path. Others, see visions, or go to those who see visions to see what they think is their pre- determined fate. I am sure you have heard of crystal gazers, or psychics that are so called fortune tellers."

"I have. I have never believed in that rubbish, but I know they are there,” Vernon added.

"Well, you see Mr. Dursley, there are some true seers out there. They are very rare, but there are people who can see things from time to time whether it be seeing the future, the present of the past, there are those who have true visions in to present and future events and I assure you they are real. In fact there are times when Harry himself can see visions of happenings regarding the doings of Voldemort"

Vernon looked at Harry as though he had three heads but Dumbledore continued nevertheless.

"Well there have been visions that have been passed on over the years through some very powerful and magical families. One of these visions regards a falling out between two of the oldest and wisest wizards of the past. This vision states very simply that one will rise to power; one will try to stop him. These two families have been battling for the last several thousand years. Almost everything good and evil that has been of major importance, has come from these families. Voldemort is a direct descendant of the Slytherin family that has been the cause of some of the greatest evil this world has ever seen. He has been responsible for hundreds of murders, and not just wizards Mr Dursley, people like you as well. And Harry..well he is a direct descendant of the other family. a direct descendant of the family of Gryffindor."

"I'm what??" Harry said with almost a yell.

"You heard me right Harry. You are a descendant of Gryffindor. And as of right now, the only magical descendant left I am afraid."

Harry looked at Dumbledore for a moment then stared down at the table in thought before he looked up again to speak.

"So that explains why he is after me. He thinks that I am the only one that can truly stop him."

"Yes and no, Harry,” Dumbledore said. "You see the prophecy from the visions state that the most powerful descendant of Gryffindor will ultimately destroy the most powerful descendant of Slytherin. This means that you could be that person, you could not be as well. Voldemort is in the same situation. He may be the wizard in the prophecy; he may not be however. But both families are running low on descendants. It may be one of your children Harry or of course,” Dumbledore stopped for a second to gather his thoughts.

"Yes??" Vernon asked attentively. He was obviously caught up in the story to the point where he wanted Dumbledore to immediately continue.

"Well you see Mr. Dursley. Harry gets this relation to the Gryffindor from his mother's side. This means of course that.."

"Petunia!" Vernon said fearfully.

"Well yes, but actually Dudley is the one that comes to mind,” Dumbledore finished.

"Dudley??" Harry spat out quickly. "I don't understand Professor, Dudley isn't a wizard."

"You're right Harry, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't have kids some day that may be."

Harry almost laughed at the thought of his cousin Dudley actually getting married and having kids with someone someday.

"The reason Voldemort never came after your family Mr Dursley is that he couldn't connect the family line with your wife and son. Since they aren't magical beings, they aren't as easily sensed as someone like Harry. Certain measures were taken even many years before your wife was ever born to make the Gryffindor family line hard to trace."

"I see,” Vernon said plainly. He looked as though he was about to be sick and Harry knew that if he in fact he was informed about the true contents of his dragon burger, he may in fact have gone over the edge.

There was a moment of silence in which Harry must have had over a thousand thoughts flow through his head. Some of them happy and proud; he was related to Godric Gryffindor in fact, some of the thoughts sad, some thoughts confused as this definitely complicated things. He wanted to tell Ron and Hermione right away. He wondered if Sirius knew. He wondered if even the Death Eaters knew why Voldemort was after him.

Dumbledore continued however. "You see Mr Dursley, you're son will be safe at his home and there is no reason to alert him. He would never be detected by anyone unless something happened to Harry which we'll do everything in our power to make sure he stays safe,” Dumbledore shot Harry another smile. This one was different however. This one seemed to be the type of smile you couldn't help returning. And Harry did so.

"Is there anything I need to do then?" Vernon added systematically as though he was making another one of his drill sales.

"Nothing Mr Dursley. Try not to worry yourself with this matter. I can assure you that your family is well protected, and that you will not need to take any extra precautions. Do not worry about your son going to school, you going to work, or your wife being at home by herself. She'll be well protected and they are all very well hidden I can assure you."

Vernon Dursley looked as though the weight of the world had suddenly been taken off of him. He gave an obviously relieved sigh but then stiffened up a bit when his thoughts immediately went to Harry. The Potter boy which he and his wife had despised for all of these years has to carry this burden, the same burden that was an enormous weight on his shoulders for the past several minutes. He has to carry this for the rest of his life. At once Harry could notice a complete difference in the way that his uncle looked at him. He could almost detect the admiration and the sympathy at the same time. Harry wondered what was going on in his head as he looked at him.

Vernon wanted to say something to his nephew. He wanted to tell him how sorry he was for not treating him better. He now knew that his son's future may possibly rest in this boy staying alive and he almost wanted to ask Dumbledore if there was possibly anything else he could do to help with the situation.

Dumbledore could already sense that Vernon was overcome with emotion so he began talking again.

"Naturally as a father and a husband I can expect that you will want to do everything in your power to protect your..entirefamily. But the only thing that we can ask you to do is to make sure that you and your family just live your lives normally. We don't wish to rock the boat so to speak."

Even Vernon could feel the power radiate from Dumbledore, the very same power that Harry had seen his entire time at school. The same power that made the giant that stand up for him all those years back when he had insulted his very name. He could understand Harry wanting to be around him and for the very first time, he felt better about the whole situation.

"I trust your judgment Dumbledore. I do ask that from time to time you will inform us of how things, I mean, how Harry is doing,” Vernon said with a blank look.

"I will do so sir. I appreciate you bringing Harry here, and I do wish you a safe trip home,” Dumbledore said with some finality in his voice.

"Yes. Thank you,” Vernon said has he stood up and turned to Harry. "You take care of yourself Harry."

Harry. It was the first time since Harry could remember that his uncle called him by his first name and he was grateful for it.

"I will sir, thank you,” Harry replied.

And with that, Vernon made his way to the front door, and back out to Muggle London.

Dumbledore and Harry made their way to the fireplace where he instructed Harry to floo back to the school. Harry did so and when he arrived at the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, his things and Dumbledore were already waiting for him.