Harry Potter and the Old Believers

Chapter 06

Concluding Paragraphs From Four Letters Written

July 4, 1995

(the opening paragraphs all covered Harry's vision)

To Albus Dumbledore (received July 4)

I'm certain you either have heard or will hear at least some of this directly from Professor Snape. I know you've told me you trust Professor Snape, and that I should, too. If he tells you about being ordered to kill both of us, then I guess you've been right. If not, please be careful.

Can you tell me anything about this Doctor Powa (Poweh?) and the Old Believers? I don't remember anything about them being covered in History.

yours
Harry Potter

To Remus Lupin (received July 6)

Can you tell me anything about the Old Believers? I'm sure we haven't covered them in History, and I don't see anything about them in that awful text Binns uses. I hope Snape tells Dumbledore about the orders to kill us; I hope that if Snape doesn't tell him, Dumbledore will act on it and not continue to trust him. I can almost believe Snape would tell Dumbledore about the order to poison him and not me, just so he can kill me, even if he really is working for Dumbledore.

If Snuffles is still with you, let him know that I miss both of you. I may be his godson, but I sometimes think of both of you as my uncles.

I hope you're both well.

your 'nephew'
Prongs Junior

To Ron and Ginny Weasley (received July 5)

Ron, I know you trust Snape even less than I do, which is one reason why I wrote out the details of the vision for Remus, you two, and Hermione as well as Dumbledore. Just in case. Take care, and send the enclosed on to Hermione. And don't forget to show this to Ginny; I hope you told her about Snuffles by now.

The second letter is about the night of the Third Task. Don't let anyone see it, except Ginny. I'm glad Hermione gave me this copy quill, so I only had to write these once. Ron, Ginny, please never mention what happened to anyone except yourselves, Dumbledore, Hermione, Snuffles, and Remus. I thought you should know, but I don't want to talk about it.

Harry

To Hermione Granger (received July 6)

You probably already know all about this Doctor or at least the Old Believers. I looked through my History text, and they aren't in there. I don't remember them from the lectures, either. They ought to call it "Progression of Goblin Rebellions Written and Discussed in the Most Boring Manner" or something other than History (I've been reading Dudley's Muggle school text, and its more interesting that ours). Can you give me a one paragraph description?

When you read the second letter, just read it. I thought you should know what happened, but I do not want to talk about it. I sent a copy to Ron and Ginny. Dumbledore and Snuffles already knew, and I'm sure Snuffles told Remus.

Harry

6 July

Dear Harry:

I understand why you have your reservations, but I must ask you again to rest assured that I do (and did in this case as well) receive full reports from this agent. This does not mean that I do not appreciate such a well-written report. I am glad for your view point, even when I have an independent version, and of course that I rarely have.

As for your questions about the Old Believers, I believe Mister Lupin and Miss Granger will give you good precis of them.

I hope this finds you well.

sincerely
A. Dumbledore

06/07

Dear Harry:

Snuffles was here until late last night. There will be a Ministry visit later this morning (Werewolf Registry), so I'm rushing to get this done.

First, try to trust Dumbledore's judgement. I know it's difficult to do so on this matter, but if I can do it, I'm sure you can as well (even if you have even more reasons than myself to dislike the person in question, try not to distrust him as well).

I have heard of a Doctor Pwy, who used to teach at Hogwarts. That may be the 'Powa' they were talking about but I do not remember any details. 'Old Believers' can have two meanings. The first means any old pre-agrarian magic. In modern terms, this means the native Australians and the few remaining native shamans. The second means a group descended from groups like the Celtic Druids, and perhaps even earlier peoples from western and central Europe (they are said to have a true tradition that takes them at least back to a group that built Stonehenge as we know it more than 3200 years ago; other claims go back to before the introduction of agriculture in Western Europe, which would be at least some 6 to 8 thousand years ago).

The Old Believers removed themselves from Western Europe's magical community by the mid-300's to early 400's, and then went to North America in the early 1500's. They started what is now the most famous school of magic outside of Europe, the Ysgol. They also run and dominate the Sefydliad, the most famous institute for advanced magic.

The Old Believers are split into a number of groups, some in contact with the general magical world, and even the Muggle world to a certain extent, others are very secret. All the groups are ruled together by what is commonly called the Council of Druids (seven wizards and witches) and the Tuatha (always two wizards and a witch selected by the Council and serving for life). The Old Believers are an independent, and major, power in the magical world, in many ways equal to the International Confederation, and in some ways superior. If Pwy is still a Llofrudd (it means killer in modern Welsh, but it's also an Old Believer title for a wizard empowered to execute Dark Wizards, sort of a combination of our Aurors, Hit Wizards, and the Muggle James Bond's 'license to kill,' if you know those stories or movies), and that would mean he's very dangerous on every level.

As for your suspect person's opinion on how Pwy might still be alive, well, magic of that sort can be very unpredictable, so it's possible. It's also possible Pwy will live only a very long life (120-150 is about as common for us a living to a 100 is for Muggles) while seeming to age slowly.

I hope all this helps you, Harry. And thank you; I am as proud to be your uncle as I am to be your friend.

Remus

07/07/95

Dear Harry

Progression of Goblin Rebellions Written and Discussed in the Most Boring Manner? Were you inspired, or have you been saving that one up? Either way, you should use it on Ron; he'll like it. I do agree that Professor Binns and that terrible text book he uses leave a lot of important things out.

Like the Old Believers. Our magic is partially based on different types of Old Magic (Egyptian and Mesopotamian for example) from around the Mediterranean. But there were even older magics. Those traditions are seen in many different cultures, but were most highly developed in Australia and Celtic Western Europe (the Druids).

The Druids were persecuted by the Romans starting with the reign of Augustus (30 bce -- 14 ce), and then later by the growing power of the Christian Church. The Druids had already separated from the Muggles by the middle of the 1st century because the Romans were attacking them. They then started to separate from the rest of the ancient magical communities as well, most ending up in the mountains of Wales and Scotland (they apparently abandoned the area around Hogwarts in the 800s -- Hogwarts was founded on one of their old sites), with some in the Pyrenees and Ireland. Some of their magic passed on to us (they seem to have been one of the four independent inventors of apparition), but other parts are still hidden, especially powers over nature and spirits. Someone trained in both Druidic and modern magic can often do powerful wandless magic as well as anything we can do.

After the discovery of the New World (they may have even known about it sooner than the Muggles), the remaining Old Believer communities conferenced, and left to what later became Maine and Quebec a hundred years before Muggles settled in the same areas. They established a school called the Ysgol, which may be the most prestigious school of magic after Hogwarts; certainly the best in the Americas.

Most Old Believers left eastern North America and moved deep into the western mountains, well over a hundred years ahead of Muggle settlement (in some cases as early as 1590!). They also started the Sefydliad (Institute) the most prestigious center of higher magical learning in the world, in 1758, in the Rockies, somewhere near the American-Canadian border. Unlike the Ysgol, which is open to all (most Old Believer children are believed to be educated at secret schools these days), over half the Sefydliad is closed to non-Old Believers, and the other half is difficult to enter -- you don't just need talent and intelligence, but sponsors of your moral character (they don't seem to care if you're Muggle-born or not though). Dumbledore attended in the early 1920s, and I bet Dr. Pwy (Welsh; good phonetic attempt, though) sponsored him. Dr. Pwy created the basis of our modern Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum (it was all dark creatures and dueling before that, and apparently not very rigorous), taught at Hogwarts from 1910-1939 and had already defeated at least two powerful Dark Wizards and won major dueling championships. Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick both would be his proteges (Flitwick and McGonagall also attended the Sefydliad, and in an interview I read when he won his last dueling championship in 1935, Flitwick listed Pwy as his mentor). They were the first three Hogwarts alumni to attend since the early 1700s!

Sorry that was more than one paragraph. Now that I've answered the first letter, I'll read the second.

love
from your friend
Hermione

PS Harry, I won't say anything about what you went through except to say thank you for coming back to us. I'm also glad you're including Ginny. I hope you meant you were sending her separate letters; Ron might be difficult otherwise.

7 July

Harry

Ron's not writing because he says he still has a headache -- I had to box the idiot's ears yesterday because he was teasing me and then Fred and George started slapping him on the back of the head on general principle and then Mum had them all de-gnome the garden. So he says he has a headache still, but really he's sulking. Really, as if laying in that bright orange room would help anyone with a headache!

He won't tell me the story about 'Snuffles' because he says it's none of my business and he wouldn't show me the letters, even though I could see you had written to both of us. Which is when I whacked him and took the letter even though Ron grabbed it back and still has it. Prat. that's when Fred and George whacked him. But thank you, Harry, for trying to include me. Ron won't tell me anything, he says if you want me to know, you can tell me.

Harry, I understand if you don't want to have to write me about whatever this was again; it must be hard for you. But I do want to know; Hermione is my best friend, Ron is my closest brother, and, well, you know I'd like to at least think of you as my friend, too. What I thought was, if you don't mind, you could write Hermione and ask her to tell me. Whatever it was you wrote, it really affected Ron, so maybe he's not just sulking. Maybe if I knew, I could help him, as well as you and Hermione.

love from your friend
Ginny

Harry looked up from the letters. Why did he want Ginny to know these awful things anyway?

'You know why,' a little voice inside his head said. This voice rarely spoke to him at Hogwarts, but here, where there was no one else to talk to, it often spoke. 'You're as big a coward as Ron. He won't tell Hermione how he feels, and you won't tell Ginny how you feel.'

'Ginny's just Ron's sister,' Harry argued with the voice.

Ginny, in her Yule Ball gown, popped into Harry's mind. As soon as Ron had said he should take Ginny to the Ball, Harry had realized he was right, and Harry had finally admitted that to himself over the last few days. But back in December Ginny had already accepted Neville's invitation, and Harry was still dealing with his crush on Cho. Cho's dating Cedric had diminished his crush, and by the time of the last Task, he was over it. Instead, Ginny had started filling his mind in the few moments he hadn't been worried about the Third Task and the other problems he'd been dealing with at the time.

Not the 'Ginny with a crush' but Ginny, the one girl other than Hermione who really had some idea about who Harry Potter was. But Harry knew she didn't know enough; he was a dangerous boy to know. Harry made a decision. If Ginny knew everything, and still was interested, then maybe he could find the courage to admit he was interested in her. And if she wasn't, Harry knew she would still be his friend.

Harry sighed. He looked at the clock: 12:03 am. Harry decided to write now; Hedwig should be back from hunting soon.

08/07/95

Ginny

Sorry Ron is being, well, Ron. Hedwig will drop this off and then fly on to Hermione. I checked, the quill can't copy old letters without a spell. Since I think I'm about the only wizard around here, I get blamed for any stray spell. Remind me to tell you about Dobby, if Hermione didn't give you the whole story last year.

Harry thought a moment, then wrote

love from your friend
Harry

Harry thought few minutes more, but decided to leave the signature as it was.

08/07/95

Hermione, Ron is being himself (as you sort of predicted -- sure you don't want to rejoin Divination? at least to take the OWL?) and I need your help. I think you know how hard it was for me to write those letters, especially the second one. I thought, since Ginny is your good friend and my best friend after you and Ron, she should know, too, and know about Snuffles. Ron won't tell her about Snuffles or show her the letters I wrote, even though it was to both of them. I don't know if he's being protective of Ginny or being jealous or just being a pain in the a-- well, a pain.

Anyway, could you please, if it's not too much trouble, copy the letters or take yours and send them to Ginny via Hedwig? That way Pig won't go straight to Ron. You'd best not tell her about Snuffles in a letter, though.

Thanks!
your friend
Harry

08/07/95

Dear Ginny

Here are copies of the letters Harry sent to me, and the one I sent to Harry. I presume they're pretty much the same as the ones Harry sent to Ron and you. If Harry had just read the instructions that came with the quill first, he would know how to copy letters without getting in trouble.

I'm sorry Ron's being a prat, but I'm glad (startled? surprised? thankful?) Harry is including you. When you read the letters, do it in your room. With the door locked. Do NOT write to Harry for at least a day after you've read them. Do NOT 'go mushy' on him; as I've told you before, you need to nurture his feelings, not over-whelm him. We both know how closed Harry is about his feelings; he's equally guarded about his privacy. You're the first person he's really reached out to on his own. Ron and I were his friends first, and shared many trials together, and he still didn't tell us a quarter of what happened until the letters. Snuffles and Remus Lupin were very close friends of Harry's parents (that's all I can say in a letter about Snuffles).

Take care, and good luck

love
Hermione

08/07/95

Dear Harry

I've sent the letters to Ginny, including my information about the Old Believers. I think it was a good idea for you to include her.

I think you're right on both counts, Ron is being protective of Ginny, and more importantly, he's a little jealous that you're including someone else. He'll get over both. I guess we should be glad he's not jealous of us!

love from your friend
Hermione

08/07/95

(but sent a day later via Pig)

Dear Ron:

Ron, calm down! There is no need to panic!

I've sent copies of Harry's letters to Ginny, as Harry asked. Try not to be over-protective of your sister; and try not to be jealous -- Harry needs all the close friends he can get. Please Ron, for Harry, tell Ginny about Snuffles sometime soon. Don't make him tell; you know how hard it is for him to talk about things like this. He must have suffered a lot to compel himself to write those letters.

love
Hermione

9 July

Hermione, I don't know what to say or write. I knew Harry had things bad, but not that bad. How can he stand it? I also wonder if Harry is using this to test me; can I stand being close to him? You and Ron help him, but in the end, it's always Harry that seems to be in the final confrontation.

Would it be harder knowing what's happening? You know how I feel about him; if he does feel the same about me, would it strengthen Harry or weaken him? would it be to much for me to bear? I know you can't answer the last question, but would I be a danger or hindrance to Harry?

love, Ginny

09/07

Hermione

Thanks for your help. I hope I haven't put you in between Ron and me again. And I'm glad he's not jealous of us, too. Of course, there's no reason for him to be. I hope I'm saying this right, but sometimes I think of you as much as my sister as I do my friend. I know Ron doesn't think of you as a sister. Considering how he treats Ginny sometimes, that's a good thing!

love back at you
Harry

09/07/95

Dear Ginny:

If you really love Harry, you will only strengthen him. I say that because I can't believe your love would be selfish. Let's face it, Harry is a hero (even if he hates it). He seems destined to face dangers the rest of us won't. If you try and distract him or prevent him from doing what he feels he has to do, you will weaken him. If you can send the man you love into danger, saying 'If you're sure you have to do this, go; I love you and I'll be here when you come back,' you'll empower him. You can't ever say 'If you love me, you won't go,' or especially 'Don't go, let someone else do it.' Harry will still go, but he'll go conflicted and weak. I hate to see him go into danger; I love him like you love all your brothers. But I've learned that I can't tell him, 'Don't go.' The most we can say is, 'Are you certain that you're the one that has to go this time?' That will make him stop and think, but if his answer is 'yes,' we have to let him go with our love.

Best of luck. I hope Percy isn't mad that you sent Hermes and that he's waited for a reply.

love
Hermione

09/07/95

Dear Harry:

We're both the only children in our families, and you're even more alone than I. Let me just say, 'I love you, too, brother.'

Has the prat written, or is he still sulking?

love from
Hermione

(to Hermione) 10/07

Still sulking, sis. Sorry, v. tired; painting the whole ruddy house (well, trim, windows, front and back doors, garage doors, etc). It's a semi-detached; so the Fisks (neighbors) have paid me £20 'under the table' so that uncle Vernon won't take it from me.

love
Harry

9 July

Harry, I got Hermione's copies. There are a lot of things I could say to you after reading them, but won't. Ron also told me about Snuffles. Harry, I'm not saying this because I once had a silly crush on you (but I swear, Harry, Fred sent that stupid valentine, I wrote better poetry than that at 8) or because you're Ron's best friend or the Boy Who Lived or any of that nonsense. I'm very proud of you Harry. It must be really hard to live with these memories.

I still have nightmares from my first year, if you need someone who understands surviving Riddle's evil touch, I'll talk with you about it. Thank you for saving me from a worse nightmare or death. And above all, thank you for trusting me.

love
Ginny

(received July 10)

Harry

I asked Mum to start bugging Dumbledore about your visit last night, but she said something like 'don't worry, wheels are in motion.' Not certain what that means, but at least there's hope. I told Ginny about Snuffles.

Harry, tell me straight, do you fancy Ginny?

Ron

11/07

Ron

I think I feel for Ginny what you feel for Hermione.
God, we're cowards, aren't we?

Please, don't let this become an argument between us.

Harry

11/07

Dear Ginny

I'm sorry you're having nightmares, too. Yes, I have nightmares. I haven't slept well for more than a week at a time since the end of my first year; haven't slept more than 6 hours any night since the night after the third trial. I didn't sleep more than about 4 hours a night that last week at Hogwarts, but the relatives have me doing so much work I'm pretty tired every night. I stay up reading and writing until about 1 and wake up at 7 (course if I tried to sleep past 7:30, I'd be woken up and told to get to work).

I'm sorry I was so stupid last December. I wish I had just realized what was in front of me before Ron pointed it out to me. Then we both would have had a better time at the Yule Ball and your feet wouldn't still hurt.

I hope I can visit soon.

love,
your friend
Harry

Harry thought a moment, took a deep breath, and then erased the 'your friend.'

(received July 11)

What do you mean how I feel about Hermione!

12/07

Ron, I think I like your sister, but don't know how things might work out. You fancy Hermione, and for some reason she feels the same towards you. That's what I meant. And no, Hermione hasn't told me she likes you, but everyone in Gryffindor knows it except you two. She's not as obvious about it as you are about her, but it's still plain.

Please don't be mad with me. You should know me well enough to know I would never hurt your sister. And if you dare say she's too young, don't let her hear you! And face it, some day soon a guy other than Neville is going to date your sister. Would you rather it be Seamus or Dean? You've heard them talk about every non-ugly girl (and some of the uglier ones -- remember what they claimed they would like to do with Bulstrode? I still shudder at the memories) at Hogwarts except Hermione and Ginny. Do you want Justin to drawl aristocratically about his family in one ear while Neville whispers about pollination in the other? How about if Malfoy remembers that Ginny is as pure-blooded as Pansy-the-pug? "Poor little Weasel, let me buy your heart." How about Lee offering to show your sister his latest bug? Or Crabbe or Goyle saying 'Uh, you girl, me boy?'

And, since I'm at least as big a coward as you, I probably won't say anything anyway.

Harry

'Harry Potter,' the little voice said, 'you can be as evil as Gred and Forge.'

Harry thought about that, and smiled.

12 July

Hermione! Ron is in his room, banging his head on the wall (and I mean that! we told Mum the ghoul is active in the mornings again). Thank God I got this letter before Fred or George saw it, since Ron dropped it in front of his door after he read it. I know, it's wrong to read other people's mail. I don't care, and for once don't care either -- read the copy! Harry likes me! I suspected that; he wrote me a wonderful note (I copied that out for you, too), but I wasn't sure. I have to admit, though, I never realized Harry could be so well, whatever the word is! I can just hear some of them saying things like that! I do wonder what Dean and Seamus say about girls. Probably best we don't know.

After Ron is done hitting his head, I'm going to hit it some more. He won't let me use Pig to write Harry. thank goodness I can send this with Hermes for his daily trip to Penelope, since you're on the way.

your future sister-in-law (maybe)
Ginny

13/07/95

Ginny Weasley! Shame on you! (and thanks). I can hear them (especially Crabbe and Goyle; Malfoy would no doubt be even more odious). And Harry does have a subtle sense of humour, although I sometimes don't get what he says until I see someone else laughing and then think about it.

Please don't tease Ron; not for his sake, but mine! Please!

love
Hermione