The Weight of the World

Chapter 6 - The Sorting Hat and New Relations

Harry made his way to the foot of the gargoyle staircase, said "Honeydukes" and stood on the step as he circled his way up to Dumbledore's office. When he got there the office was empty and Dumbledore's private quarter's door above him was closed. He smiled and said a hello to Fawkes who sang him a note that warmed his face. He looked up to see the sorting hat up on its glass resting place and he grabbed the book ladder and moved it in place to take the hat down. He climbed down with it carefully and sat it on Dumbledore's desk. He then sat in one of the chairs and stared at it for a moment, before he finally picked it up and placed it on his head.

"Good evening, Potter,” the hat said to him immediately.

"I can see in here you have found out a secret that is now troubling you. Yes it is true that my old owner is a distant relative of you. I knew that the moment I touched your head nearly five years ago."

Then why did he want to put me in Slytherin? Harry thought to himself.

"I never wanted to put you in Slytherin, but the fact remains you would have done well there. The fact remains that you would have done well in any house I would have put you in. But it was your choice in the end, it's always everyone's choice. I just see the choice they make more clearly than others. You chose the right one though so don't worry,” the hat said calmly.

"I have been on many heads Potter. Thousands, tens of thousands. You have troubles yes, but everyone does. At the time Godric made me he was more troubled than anyone I have ever known. He was very old, but somehow knew that his life was about to become more difficult you see. I have some magic from all four of the Hogwarts founders yes, but I have a stronger Gryffindor presence. You see at the time I was made, tensions had already began to run between Salazar and Godric. Both of them had a deep hatred for one another and both of them were very powerful wizards, even more powerful than most wizards could have ever dreamed of being. But neither one of them ever did battle against one another. They knew that they would destroy each other. Even if one did kill the other, the effort alone would have cost him his life as well in the end. So each one decided to keep the peace, all the while setting in motion what they could, to destroy the others future existence. You see Potter; magic is passed down the same as any other heirloom. Books, riches, estates, magic is no different. Your mother tried to do the same for you. She knew who she was; she also knew what she had to do to ensure that you were passed down what was rightly yours."

"You mean she gave me some sort of power before she died?" he said at almost a whisper?

"Sort of Harry, but this wasn't just any power. This is the power of Godric Gryffindor himself, or the opportunity to receive it in your case. Godric was the greatest wizard of his time you see. He found out that as he got older towards the end of his life, it was possible for him to choose an heir of blood to deliver his life force, or his power to. He made sure that this knowledge would live in the individual so that they would be able to continue to pass it on down the family tree and use what he had gained. But, he also made sure that only worthy candidates could use this power. As I can see you already know that your mother's side of the family has many muggles. But in reality they were all squibs. This was by design. If you track your family history Mr Potter, you'll see that there aren't many magical people in your past, but the ones that were born wizards and witches, were some of the most powerful of their time. The problem is that like Godric, Salazar took measures to see that his power was transferable as well. He used Dark Magic to do so however, and this, was his mistake. Dark Magic isn't as efficient and his power has slowly begun to deteriorate. This could be sensed from most and hence the prophecy had arisen. The path was visible by many of the true seers and it stated that as time went on and Slytherin's magic became older, it would become less and less powerful until the power could be destroyed. It was also seen that only a powerful heir to Gryffindor would be able to destroy this magic. So you see Potter, you hold Godric's magic, Riddle holds Salazar's magic, he is afraid that you would destroy him so he wanted take that chance away from you by killing you as a boy."

"Why didn't he just kill my mother? Or did he already know that the magic was transferred to me? That's where I am really confused," Harry said.

"That's where the secret lies, Potter. Lilly didn't have the power. In fact, it had not been transferred to her yet. Riddle was one step ahead of himself, you see, a female heir can hold the power but not use it. Riddle didn't know who it was that had given it to her, but he did know that she was next in line to receive it and that she would give it to you.” The hat paused for a second. "I sense your confusion. Allow me to help. Riddle assumed that if Lilly had the power, he would be unable to kill her. That's part of Godric's protection. He also knew that you were too young to be able to receive it. Therefore killing you would break the cycle. The power would then die with her. So when he came to kill you she had just finished performing a spell of one of the oldest types of magic that stripped her of her power. He sensed that she was powerless and therefore killed her to get at you. What he didn't know was that the spell that was performed by her was only an ancient protection spell that made him unable to kill you. What he still assumes to this day is that you hold the power, and that she somehow gave it to you that night."

"So I don't have Godric's power," Harry said still confused.

"Not yet you don't. But you will receive it in time I assure you,” The Sorting Hat replied.

"Can you tell me who has it now? I assume I have other family still alive somewhere?" Harry said hopefully.

"That you do," Said the hat.

"So where are they?" Harry asked.

With that, Harry felt the hat being pulled off of his head. He turned around quickly to see Dumbledore standing behind him with a smile on his face.

"Professor Dumbledore. I am sorry sir. I should have asked I know, I was just so excited about talking with the hat I…."

"Harry, I am not upset with you. I just overheard your conversation with the Sorting Hat and found an opening where I could interrupt,” Dumbledore made the hat slowly flow up to its perch with a short flick of his wand and then sat down beside Harry.

"Harry. I was hoping to give you the better part of the summer to hopefully clear your head before I loaded it down with what you heard from the hat, but alas, I was too late. I met with Hermione and Ron in the Great Hall where they said they were in the library, I assume helping you look for information on Godric no doubt."

"Yes sir. It was Hermione's idea to look in the library. I was in a book when the Sorting Hat came to my mind. That's when I rushed up here,” Harry said.

"Harry, the last question you asked the hat. I think I can answer that for you. You see Harry, it is true, it was your mother who was supposed to receive Godric's power. And it was I that she was to receive it from."

"So you and I are related Professor?" Harry said quickly. His heart was beating into his throat.

"We are Harry. I am your great uncle. It is I who holds the Gryffindor heirloom, and it is I who will ultimately give it to you,” Dumbledore had a warming smile on his face; the same warming smile that had made Harry feel so protected for the past few years.

"Why don't you go down and eat with your friends. They are waiting for you I am sure and I don't want to deprive Ronald Weasley of food for too much longer. We'll talk about this more later. Don't trouble your mind with any of this right now Harry. Have a good time with your friends. Open up to them if you can. They will greatly need your help in the months and years to come, so please allow them to return the favor."

Harry got up from the desk, took a long look at Dumbledore and then a quick glance up at the sorting hat, and then turned towards the stairwell and headed down to the Great Hall.