Fate

Chapter 10 - Just Tell Him

Harry stood nervously across from Dumbledore's desk, wringing his hands as he looked from one face to the other. Sirius was standing off to his right, leaning against the bookshelf and looking intently at the floor as if he was calculating something. Remus was to Harry's left and he seemed to be having a battle of wills with Professor Dumbledore, who was standing behind his desk. Remus and Dumbledore's eyes kept flickering to each other, to Harry, to Sirius, and back to each other.

"Well?" Harry finally asked. He seemed to jerk Sirius out of his thoughts for his Godfather jumped slightly and straightened up, joining Remus and Dumbledore's eye game.

It looked like Sirius lost.

Sirius started by saying, "How much do you know about the veil, Harry?"

Expecting something like this, Harry shrugged his shoulders, looking from one face to the other. "Not much. Hermione tried to find some information on it right after you...err...came back, but we figured most of that was probably in the restricted section."

Remus gave a pointed cough which made Sirius glare at him.

"Remember when I first came back, I talked about how different the time passed when I was on the other side of the veil?"

Harry frowned, searching his memory. "Yes, vaguely. You said you were only there for a few minutes right? But month's passed here." He looked suspiciously up at his Godfather, having no idea where he was going with these questions. "Why?"

Sirius suddenly seemed to get even more nervous and he pulled Harry to sit down on one of the chairs while he sat on another one.

"Sirius? What's wrong?"

Harry was starting to get very nervous himself. His Godfather never acted particularly scared about anything, but since this episode with the veil, more things were beginning to get to him.

"Harry, we, that is, Remus and I, we went through the restricted section a few days ago, looking for information about the veil and trying to help me solve a mystery that I have been running through my head ever since I came back."

Harry looked up to Remus who gave him a tired smile, and then he looked to Dumbledore who looked surprisingly happier than the two younger men.

"What your dear Godfather is trying to say, my boy, is that he and Remus are planning a journey back through the veil," Dumbledore said bluntly.

Harry's jaw dropped and he whirled back around to his Godfather with accusing eyes. "Just what are you playing at!?" He jumped up out of his seat and backed away, not quite willing to believe his ears. Lucky for him though, he did not run away just yet. Sirius was silently pleading with his eyes towards his young Godson and Harry felt that maybe there was more to this than they were telling him just then.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at Sirius. "Tell me why."

Sirius licked his lips and took a deep breath. "It's a rather long story."

"I want to hear it all," Harry started simply, but he did not sit down as Sirius motioned him too.

"Alright, well it all starts with the veil, of course." Sirius sat down himself and so did everyone else, but no one made a move to tell Harry to sit down.

"I didn't tell you everything that happened behind the veil," Sirius winced painfully, as if reliving it himself. "But one of the things I left out was that I...I heard the beings behind the veil say something about your parents."

A piece seemed to click in Harry's mind and he gasped out loud. "My-"

"Lily and James, or so I assume," Sirius cut him off. Harry could tell he just wanted to get the story telling over quickly, so he restrained himself. "They told me that I had a choice of where I could go, up or down. I demanded to go back to earth, and when I didn't give in, they decided to send me up, telling me that there were 'two beings' who had 'vouched for my safety' who 'died many years ago'..." Harry felt tears gather in his eyes and could tell that Sirius was very close to tears himself.

"Merlin, Harry...I wanted to go see them so bad...I could practically see James' face again..." He held his head in his hands and Harry finally had to sit down, not quite able to believe what he was hearing.

"But I didn't. I escaped and went back through the veil." Sirius looked back up and Harry saw a few tear streaks down his face. "But, when I heard about the time difference, it got me to thinking of the possible manipulation of time that a person would be able to do in there."

Another piece clicked into place and Harry was starting to get shaky.

"That's what I've been doing all this time since I came back, researching about the veil. But apparently there's not much to go on. The best resources I could find was an old book that Moony owned that gave some accounts of people who had tried to see beyond the veil."

"What happened to them?" Harry said softly.

Sirius shrugged. "Some died, apparently getting 'sucked in' when they tried to move the fabric. But others...." He looked up at Harry. "Others were able to see something."

"See something?"

Sirius nodded grimly. "The book also talks about people's interpretations of what they saw behind the veil and their predictions for the magical power that it holds."

Harry waited with baited breath, but Sirius didn't continue, so he turned to Remus who stepped up. "Harry, have you ever heard of the Fates?"

Harry frowned. What in the world? "They're part of Greek mythology, weren't they? Supposed to control people's deaths and all?"

Remus nodded. "Harry, the Fates are what Sirius and all those other people saw on the other side of the veil."

Harry glanced back over to his Godfather who seemed to have control of himself again. "I'm not the only person in recorded history that has ever seen the Fates, but I am the first person to talk with them and then come back and tell other people about it."

Harry sucked in a sharp breath. So it was true...Sirius wasn't really supposed to live.

"But," Remus said quickly, as if sensing what Harry was thinking, "He did live."

"What about the body?" Harry snapped.

"It was an accident of Fate, Harry," Dumbledore interjected and all three turned to look at the wise old man who was still sitting calmly behind his desk.

"An accident of Fate, professor?" Harry scoffed. "Excuse me but that sounds like bloody bull-"

"Harry!" Remus snapped.

Harry turned his glare to his old defense professor. "It's a totally contradicting notion, Remus. Fate is Fate. It doesn't have," he whirled back to Dumbledore, "accidents."

"But what if it did, Harry?"

His Godfather's soft voice seemed to calm him a bit and he looked back into Sirius' dark eyes. "What if something happened that wasn't according to Fate?"

Harry shrugged. "It wouldn't happen."

"But what if it did?"

The entire room was silent as Harry started to gather more and more clues about what they had brought him in here to talk about. Time...the veil...Fate...Sirius dying...Sirius living...

He still was missing something.

"What are you all playing at?" He finally said aloud. "Are you telling me that you two are going to go back through the veil to stop Sirius from falling in the first place? That you're going to manipulate time and space and come out on top?" It seemed absurd as he said it and he was vaguely worried when the three men gave each other half amused glances, especially since the feeling in the room had been mostly sober through the whole conversation.

"You're right on a few points, Harry, but not all," Remus said.

"And which points might those be?"

Sirius stood and came a few steps closer to Harry who held his ground defiantly. "Well, you're right about us going back through the veil."

"And you were right about us manipulating time and space and coming out on top."

Harry raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Sirius and turned to Remus. "You're not serious."

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Sirius open his mouth, no doubt to make one of his classic jokes, but a sharp look from Remus stopped him.

"How?" Harry said shortly.

No one seemed to want to answer him and Harry started to get angry again.

"How, Sirius?" he stood tall, trying to look much more intimidating than he knew he was and glared at his Godfather.

"That book, Harry," Remus stepped in again. "The one that I own...it has untested spells for time travel."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Untested? Remus did you just hear yourself?"

"Mr. Potter, the only reason these spells are untested is because no one has used them in thousands of years," Dumbledore said from his desk. Harry turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "They date back to the time of Merlin, who, it was rumored, had in fact traveled to our day and made a record of his journeys."

Harry still looked doubtful. "It was rumored?"

"Unfortunately, Merlin never had another witness of his time traveling, and most of the records we have about it are from a select few whom he confided in."

"What about his own records?"

"Alas, most were destroyed during the Crusades throughout the Medieval ages," Dumbledore looked at Harry slightly amused. "I assume you know about the Crusades?"

Harry wanted to laugh. Professor Binns had probably mentioned the Crusades in class, but, like everything else the old ghost said, Harry never paid it any mind.

Instead he nodded once, wanting to hear more.

"Well, the few writings that were preserved were two of the spells that Merlin used to travel back into time. We were only able to translate one of them. The other was too illegible to be read."

"How come no one's tried it before now?" Harry said suspiciously. "It seems like a subject that a lot of people would be interested in."

"That's true, Harry," Dumbledore agreed, peering keenly at his student over his fingers. "Unfortunately, in order for the spell to be successful, it must be preformed within an area that contains a strong connection to time. A magical room, if you will. Much like the Room of Requirement in Hogwarts, except dealing with time rather than a person's needs."

Harry frowned, but Dumbledore answered his question before he asked it.

"No, the veil was not what Merlin used. Apparently he had a special room in the long destroyed city of Avalon that contained these properties."

"Avalon? Professor, that's just a myth, even in the magical world," Harry said impatiently. Even he knew that without paying attention in History of Magic.

"I assure you that it is not a myth, my dear boy," Dumbledore said seriously. "It is very real, just merely forgotten about and twisted through the years after the city was destroyed."

Harry still looked skeptical. "How come no one has tried this with the veil before?"

"The veil is one of the great mysteries of our day, Harry. So little is known about it and no one has ever seen or been on the other side and come back to tell about its unique relationship with time."

Harry turned to Sirius again. "So you're supposed to be dead, is that right?" he asked bluntly.

Sirius paled. "Harry, I'm right here."

"And you're going back through again!? To chase some crazy theory that hasn't been done in thousands of years!?" Harry practically screamed.

No one spoke and Harry was beginning to get fed up with their silence. He was the one who had the right to be silent, not them.

"What aren't you guys telling me?" Harry demanded.

"For Merlin's sake! Just tell him, Sirius!" Remus seemed to plead.

Harry turned back to the animagus and glared as best he could. It was getting easier for him to look Sirius in the eyes now-a-days, as his recent growth spurt put him only a few inches under Sirius' height and almost level with Remus.

"Harry, we're going to try to go back and save someone, but...it's not me."

Harry frowned, opening his mouth to make another demand, but stopped short and his breath left him as the last piece fell into place. He started shaking and he felt his knees give out as he collapsed into the chair behind him, still looking at Sirius with a white face and wide eyes.

"You mean..."

No one seemed to want to finish his statement, but he could practically see the bitter feelings leaving the room as the truth was finally out.

"My parents..." he said softly, still locked in Sirius' gaze. "You want to try to save them."

A tear finally dropped from Sirius' eyes and he nodded. Harry's mind whirled as his thoughts took a 180 degree turn...his parents...

Harry looked over at Remus. "You're going too?"

Remus nodded, a reluctant smile on his face and a few tears glistening in his eyes. "And Harry..." He trailed off and then looked over to Sirius. Harry followed his gaze in time to see Sirius kneel down in front of him, a smile coming to his face too.

"We want you to come too, Emeralds."

Harry chocked on a sob and could not say any more before Sirius had reached forward to gather him into a hug, both of them crying freely now.

As Harry felt Sirius' strong arms around him, he also heard Sirius quietly speaking to him and only to him.

"I'll get them back for you, Harry. I promise."

----

Ginny was starting to worry when two whole hours had passed and Harry had not yet entered the common room. She was glancing at the portrait entrance every few seconds, anxiety eating away at her as she tried to come up with all the different scenarios Harry could have gotten himself into.

"Don't chew off all your fingernails there, Ginny."

Ginny quickly stopped biting her nails and whirled to find Hermione standing there with an amused look in her face. The older girl sat down at Ginny's table and pulled out some books and parchment.

"You don't need to worry, I'm sure he's not off snogging someone else."

Ginny blushed deeply and looked back down at her book. How had Hermione known that that was exactly what Ginny had been imagining at that moment?

"We should have just stayed together," Ginny reasoned. "Screw Ron and his overprotective kick." She glanced back over to the portrait. "I shouldn't have left him alone again."

Hermione was frowning when Ginny looked back at her and she looked at Ginny curiously. "You're still worried about him? He's been doing so well since...well, since you two went ice skating that one day."

Ginny blushed. "Well, it's easier when he has someone else with him, getting his mind off of things."

"Like you, for instance?" Hermione smirked.

"Please, Hermione, I already have enough older brothers that fill in the 'teasing' column in my life," Ginny said, still blushing.

"Sorry, but really, Gin, I think you've done him a lot of good this past week..." She trailed off and seemed to think about something before leaning in closer to Ginny with a smirk on her face. "I saw you two out on the lake this afternoon."

Ginny was surprised that she didn't feel more embarrassed, only smiled softly as she remembered. "Were you the one who made him come after me?" She said, trying to sound accusatory but failing miserably.

Hermione leaned back and fiddled with her books again. "What makes you think that? Harry's a pretty perceptive guy."

"But he's still a guy," Ginny pointed out. "And they need a handbook for everything."

Hermione laughed. "Yes, they're both trying to commission me to write one for them about how to interpret girl's 'mad' actions."

Ginny giggled at that thought, wondering how guys would react if they actually knew all that information.

"But I don't think we should give them the help, do you?" Hermione added, a twinkle in her eye.

"Not on your life."

Ginny's mind was at ease then and she was able to go back to reading her book, her worry for Harry not so prominent, but still lurking in the back of her mind.

Little did she know Harry wouldn't make it back by the time she finished her book.

In fact, he wouldn't even make it back by the time the common room was totally empty that night....Except for her, waiting for him still.

----

"Tomorrow?" Harry said in disbelief. He was getting sick off all these new details that they kept springing on him. "We're going tomorrow?"

"Well, we've been planning this for quite a while," Sirius admitted.

Still in Dumbledore's office, Sirius, Remus and Harry were sitting down, filling Harry in on some of the particulars that they had planned out. Dumbledore had since taken his leave of them, apparently to go to bed, as he was an old man, in need of his rest.

Harry frowned. "This is going to change a lot, isn't it?" He was speaking very softly and both Remus and Sirius leaned in closer, trying to comfort him.

"Listen, we wouldn't attempt this unless it was our absolute last option," Sirius said very seriously. "Even Dumbledore thinks this has a better chance of success than training you till you collapse and can't even raise your wand to fight Voldemort."

Harry looked up, suddenly thinking of something. "The prophesy! What about the prophesy?"

"Harry, prophesies are etched in stone, as it were. Nothing changes them," Remus assured him.

He frowned. "But if I don't defeat Voldemort when I'm one, how will he...er... 'Mark me as his equal'?" He reflexively rubbed the scar on his forehead, wondering how many more days he would still have it.

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look. "Well, we're not quite sure about that yet, Harry," Sirius said. "But we have spoken to Dumbledore about it and he agrees that since it's a prophesy, it's going to happen somehow anyway."

Harry seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding his head. "It'll be nice to not have the scar."

Sirius barked a laugh. "We're going back in time to save lives and all you can think about is your scar?" He mocked.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You two seem very cheerful now that I know the truth," he said suddenly. "Why were you so nervous?"

"Well, we weren't quite sure how you would take it," Remus admitted. "Your reaction to our last announcement wasn't exactly ideal."

Harry blushed. "I'm sorry."

"No worries, Emeralds," Sirius said, patting him on the back.

Harry looked up quickly. "There it is again."

"Huh?" Sirius asked cluelessly.

"Emeralds, Sirius," Remus helped. "You were calling Harry by his old nickname again."

Harry turned to Remus with excited eyes. "I had a nickname?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "So to speak. I think Sirius made it up more to annoy your dad, though; accentuating the one trait of yours that you didn't get from him."

"Lily loved it, though. She was the only one besides me who called you that," Sirius added, leaning back in his chair as he reminisced.

Harry felt a sudden lurch in his stomach as he thought about how much he loved to hear about his parents.

And soon, maybe I'll be able to meet them...

"Oh no!" He said suddenly, jumping up. "Ginny!"

Sirius smirked. "You know, Harry, you never did tell us how that date went."

Harry glared at his Godfather. "I don't see what I should tell you two. It's not like you helped me any," he said in mock accusation. "Besides," he moved towards the door, "I told her I'd meet her in the common room," he glanced at his watch, "five hours ago! Merlin, have we been talking that long?"

"Harry," Remus jumped up quickly, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Wait..." Harry turned and saw Remus and Sirius arguing with glances again. He rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'll say it," Sirius turned to Harry. "You realize how much is going to change by this?"

Harry frowned. "I assume it's going to be a lot...Why?"

Sirius once again turned to Remus, but the werewolf just turned his eyes away. Turning back to Harry, Sirius took a deep breath.

"Harry, we're not quite sure what will happen once we make the change, but it's quite possible that everything could be changed..."

"Everything?" Harry echoed, his hand slipping off the knob of the door. Merlin, he definitely had not considered that...Ginny, Ron, Hermione...

"Or, nothing at all could change..." Remus finally stepped up. "We have a few people over in the Department of Mysteries who tell us that it's not even possible to change time, since everything has already happened."

Harry frowned, not understanding.

"It's like this: say the three of us go back, and we end up meeting a few people and trying to change things, but right before we're sent back, someone, say, the Dumbledore from that time, insists on obliviating all who we've come in contact with."

"Our entire trip would be utterly useless. It would be like nothing ever happened," Sirius put in hesitantly, obviously not quite sure how Harry would take the news. Surprisingly though, he seemed to take it quite well.

"I understand," Harry said firmly, looking at both of them squarely. "But we're going to try, right?"

Remus and Sirius both seemed to relax heartily at his statement and Sirius reached forward, ruffling his hair. "You bet, Emeralds."

Harry frowned, ducking away from Sirius tormenting his hair, and reached for the door again. Then for the second time, he turned back to them.

He was still frowning. "Guys? What about Ginny?"

Both suddenly looked very nervous again. "We're not sure, Harry," Sirius said reluctantly. "Like anything else, that could completely change, or completely stay the same."

Harry's hand slipped off the knob and he hung his head, biting his bottom lip. "So it was a waste..."

Remus rushed forward, grabbing Harry by the shoulders. "No! Harry, no...it wasn't."

Harry looked up, with some tears sparkling in his eyes. "But what if we come back and she doesn't even know me anymore? What if Ron and Hermione aren't my friends?" This thought seemed to shake him to the very core and his eyes looked haunted again.

"Did you kiss her, Harry?" Sirius said to his Godson, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, despite the fact that he looked rather sad.

That brought a small grin to Harry's face. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Not now, Sirius," Remus chided his old friend.

"No, that's alright," Harry wiped at his eyes quickly. "I should have thought of this in the first place, anyway. I should have known it would happen."

"But it might not," Remus reminded him seriously. "Harry, remember what Dumbledore told you about love?"

"It's an ancient form of magic," Harry repeated dutifully. "A force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than forces of nature..." He remembered that entire conversation with Dumbledore word for word, his mind not able or not willing to forget.

Remus smiled, "Yes, Harry. All of the above."

"But I don't love Ginny," Harry said softly. "At least, I don't think I do. Not yet anyway."

"But there's something there," Sirius cut in. "And it's a start, Harry, it's a start."

Somewhat comforted, but still wanting to get back to Ginny as soon as possible, Harry nodded once and walked back over to the door again.

He took a deep breath and turned back to them one last time. "Eight tomorrow morning?"

Remus nodded. "See you then."

As Harry started going down the spiral staircase, he heard Sirius call out "And give your girlfriend a kiss for us!" followed by a cry of pain as Remus undoubtedly had smacked his friend upside the head.