Harry Potter and The Year of Discoveries

It didn't take long for the entire Weasley family to arrive at Hogwarts. Arthur lit a fire in the fireplace and tossed in a handful of Floo powder.

"Hogwarts!" They all cried one by one. Charlie was the last to arrive. He stumbled into Albus' office, wiping soot out of his eyes. His family stood around the room, identical expressions on their faces. There were three other people there besides the Headmaster. One was Sirius Black and the other two looked remarkably like James and Lily Potter.

It was Molly who finally spoke up. "Tell us it isn't true, Albus. Please," she pleaded with him. She refused to believe that her son could do such a thing. "Percy wouldn't...he couldn't...Albus?" Molly paused as she saw professor Dumbledore's eyes fill with unshed tears.

He shook his head slowly. "It's a terrible thing when one we've placed so much expectations on turns to the Dark Lord. It grieves me terribly to tell you that what you read is indeed the truth. Percy has joined Lord Voldemort." Everyone with the exception of Sirius and the Potters flinched at the name. Dumbledore smiled grimly. "If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. We mustn't fear his name. Fear of name only increases fear of the thing itself."

"Easy for him to say," Ron muttered. "You-Know-Who was actually frightened of him."

Molly had broken down in sobs as Dumbledore confirmed her worst fear. Percy had indeed betrayed them all. It was impossible to believe.

The rest of the Weasleys stood back as the red-haired woman rushed forward to comfort Molly. She whispered words of consolation to the older woman. "Shh...Molly. I know it's not all right. Not right now. But it will get better, you have to believe that."

Molly looked into her green eyes and gasped audibly. "Lily?" Her eyes widened in astonishment as Lily Potter nodded sheepishly, a small smile on her pretty face. "Oh, Merlin's wand! I thought you were dead!"

Lily released the embrace, nodding to the rest of the Weasley family. "That was the idea. I'd rather not go into details until I've had the opportunity to speak with my son. I understand that he knows now, but he isn't too happy with us."

"Lily...Potter?" Bill finally spoke up. He looked to the man over by Fawkes' perch and noticed how like Harry he looked. "And you must be James?"

James looked over to Bill and nodded in confirmation. "I am. And you would have to be Bill. The last time I saw you, you were about this high," James leveled off to just below his chest. He turned again as he saw Charlie out of the corner of his eye. "And Charlie Weasley! Good to see you, my boy!"

"Hello, sir." Charlie smiled widely, remembering a few times when the Potters had come over to the Burrow. He had been pretty young then, about ten, but he could remember James taking him up on his Cleansweep5, showing him the exhilaration of flying.

Ron cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "As exciting as this little reunion has been, don't we have a few things to attend to? Ginny and Harry?"

With that little reminder, everyone sprang into action. Arthur and Molly led them all to the door, opening it and guiding each person through. First came Fred and George, then Bill and Charlie, Lily and James and lastly, Ron and Sirius. Dumbledore had not risen from behind his desk and was stroking Fawkes absently when he came to perch on the Headmaster's shoulder.

"Albus?" Arthur motioned to the door. "Will you be joining us?"

"I believe I'll stay here for now. I would like a chance to talk to Mister Potter later." They said their goodbyes and left the office.

When Ron and Sirius had walked into the corridor, Sirius put a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Ron," he said softly, pulling him aside.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm here. Whatever you need, I'm here. You're my godson's best friend, and I don't want to see you hurting. So if you need to talk, let me know."

Ron smiled dimly in thanks. He noticed his mum and dad walking by and motioned that they should continue on. They walked in silence until they reached the hospital wing. Not wanting to disturb Harry and Ginny, or make Madame Pomfrey upset, they entered very quietly.

"Ron and Sirius, you go first to talk to them. We'll be right in," Mrs. Weasley told them gently.

Sirius looked at James and Lily in surprise. "Don't you want to talk to him?"

James shook his head. "Not yet, we'll wait until you're all finished."

"Of course. C'mon Ron."

Ron and Sirius approached Harry's bedside, tiptoeing past Ginny as she was sleeping soundly. Sirius put his hand on Harry's shoulder, shaking him gently. "Harry? You awake?"

Harry groaned a turned over, throwing his hand over his eyes. "It's too early to mow the lawn, Uncle Vernon." He mumbled incoherently.

"I rather think I should be insulted by that," Sirius said somewhat jovially to Ron.

Harry opened his eyes and looked at them blearily. He reached over for his glasses, squinting at Ron and Sirius. "Sirius! Ron! Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Hey mate," Ron greeted him. "When are you getting out of here?"

Harry shrugged. "Who knows? Pomfrey isn't saying a word." He turned to Sirius, a concerned look on his face. "So, you probably know what's going on, don't you? About my mum and dad?"

Sirius nodded. "About that, Harry...I really don't think that-"

"I should be mad at them? It's hard not to be. I'll try my best to give it a shot, but honestly, Sirius? I'm only human. I don't know if I can forgive them for that."

"Harry, I understand. You've led a pretty difficult life. It's hard to trust people. But if there's something that I've always admired about you is that you try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Hear them out; listen to what they have to say. They have a good reason for doing what they did. I'm not asking you to welcome them with open arms, but be willing to listen, ok?" Sirius looked Harry straight in the eye. He desperately wanted his godson to accept his parents, but until he could forgive them, that wouldn't happen.

"Yeah, I'll try." Harry turned back to Ron who was busying himself by staring blankly at the curtain across from them. "Any word from Hermione, Ron?"

Ron jumped in surprise, a look of guilt flashing across his face. "Oh man! She's gonna kill me. I haven't owled her about everything yet! Do y'think she'll be able to get here?"

Sirius nodded. "If you make the arrangements, I can go pick her up. I'll have to show up as a dog though."

Ron and Harry smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks a lot, Sirius. I know Hermione would want to be here." Ron said. He looked at Harry again. "Maybe we should let you talk to your parents? I think we'll be over there with Ginny if you need anything."

"All right. Send them in." Harry told them, steeling himself. Sirius nodded as he and Ron stood to leave. As soon as they left, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. It gave him a chance to think before his parents came in. he thought, a mixture of resentment and excitement rushing through him. On the one hand, they had left him as a child in the care of a wizard-hating family, but on the other hand, their return meant he was free from said family. Harry wasn't sure if he should forgive them, or hold a grudge against them. He was going to make them explain what had happened, however. A few minutes later, in walked two familiar faces, though Harry had known them until that point as Liz and Jaron.

James pulled up the chair that Ron had sat in while Lily sat in the one Sirius had just occupied. "Harry." James greeted his son. He sounded rather uncomfortable; after all, he had only just met Harry.

"Hello," Harry responded politely, also uncomfortable in the presence of his own parents. It was an awkward feeling, knowing that the people sitting next to your hospital bed were believed to be dead for fourteen years.

Lily reached over and tentatively took Harry's hand. He looked at it, startled, but raised his eyes to meet hers and relaxed. "Harry, we are so sorry for what we put you through! I know there is nothing we can say to make you forgive us, but please believe we thought we were doing the right thing."

Harry looked abruptly at his mother. "But you knew! You knew what the Dursleys were like and you still arranged it that I would go there! And you had to have known about Voldemort; that he couldn't really be killed!"

"Harry, your Aunt Petunia is the way she is because she was jealous of your mother," James told him. "As for Vernon, well, truth be told, he comes from a long line of wizards. He was the first Squib born in that family in centuries. The shame of it reflected on his family and they turned him away. He was adopted by a muggle family and because of what happened to him, he shunned all of the wizarding world."

"But why send me there? You knew how they felt about wizards."

"The protective spells Dumbledore placed over you required a blood relative. Petunia was the only one. I had an older brother, Michael, but he was brutally murdered by the Dark Lord two years earlier." James said, bowing his head in remembrance. "We had no choice."

Harry sighed, looking somewhat resigned. "I suppose I understand. You did what you had to. But there's something I don't understand-"

Just then Ron poked his head around the curtain. "Can we join you? I know this is an important conversation, but I thought we could all have our questions answered in one go."

Lily gestured for him to come in and one by one the Weasley family, minus Percy, and filed in. It was rather cramped, but Harry felt protected by the presence of each and every person surrounding his bed. He looked at the faces of each of them and knew, with absolute certainty that they would all give their lives for each other and for him. A look of confusion passed over his features as he realized that Sirius was not among the crowd. "Where did Sirius go?" He asked, concerned.

"He had to go run an errand for Dumbledore," Fred told him. "Said something about meeting up with Moony. How does Sirius know one of the inventors of the Marauder's Map?"

"Sirius is Padfoot," Harry told him distractedly. "Professor Lupin is Moony."

In unison, Fred and George's mouths dropped open. They resembled an old goldfish Dudley had once upon a time; their mouths opening and closing in silent amazement. Ginny looked at them and rolled her eyes at Harry. "Oh, honestly! You two look like a couple of carp. Shut your mouths, that's so disrespectful!" They shut their mouths immediately, looking at Harry with disbelieving expressions.

"We need to talk later," Fred mouthed to a laughing Harry.

It didn't take long for him to sober; however, once he had glanced over at his mum's somber expression. "Ah, yes. That thing I don't understand. Why did you do it at all? I mean, you knew that Voldemort couldn't be killed, surely you knew I would be in danger."

"And that is where our little story begins, Harry." James looked into Harry's eyes. "We did it ultimately because we knew the wizarding world would be out of danger. You see, my boy, you and I are direct descendants of Godric Gryffindor."

"And I," Lily said softly, "Am descended from Rowena Ravenclaw."

"Back when Hogwarts first began, the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff all performed a spell. One that would make it impossible for any of the Founders to kill each other. Salazar Slytherin did not participate; however he was included in this. The spell was designed to follow their descendants as well. Therefore, it was impossible for the Dark Lord to kill us." James continued.

"But why fake your deaths?" Ron piped up. "I mean, if he couldn't kill any of you, why bother with the charade?"

Lily smiled grimly. "Lord Voldemort had not done his homework. He did not know of the spell. We placed extra protections on ourselves as well as Harry. These ensured us that if the Dark Lord tried to use Avada Kedavra on Harry, it would be deflected back to him, thus leaving him defenseless." Lily turned back to Harry. "Harry, because you are descended from both Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw, that makes you one of the most powerful wizards to walk the face of this earth. Your powers may rival those of Lord Voldemort's."

Harry looked from his mum to his dad, completely gobsmacked. "You're kidding! I can't...no...It's not that I don't believe you, I do. It makes sense. But, I'm just a kid. How can I ever defeat him?" He looked around at the rest of the people surrounding him. Identical expressions of surprise were on all their faces. "It's what I have to do, isn't it? If I'm more powerful than him, then I have to fight him. And I have to win." Harry's shoulders sunk as though the weight of the world had just been literally placed upon them.

"You won't have to do it alone." James told him gently. Harry looked at him questioningly. "There's a prophecy. It speaks of the Boy with the Lightening, the Seer, the Chess Master and the Star. The four of you will battle Lord Voldemort in the final battle. We do not know what the outcome will be."

"Do we know who the others are?" Harry asked. "I mean, I have to be the Boy with the Lightening, right?"

Lily nodded in confirmation. "We know of two others at the current time. The first is Ron Weasley. The second is Miss Hermione Granger."

"The Chess Master and the Star," Ginny muttered.

"Yes, my dear, that is correct." They all looked to Molly Weasley in surprise when she spoke up. "And you, darling Ginny, are the Seer."

"What? But...but...I don't have any talent in the divination area!" Ginny protested. "I hate divination!"

"Your powers lie in reading the stars," Arthur told her gently. "You will be developing your abilities with a very gifted Seer this year. Arabella Figg."

Lily looked at Mrs. Weasley and leaned forward. "Tell me, Molly. How did you know about Ginny being the other Warrior?"

"Albus had informed us of the prophecy after Ginny was born. He had known about Ron, but he did not want to tell us until he was sure. If you recall, the prophecy says that the Chess Master and the Seer will be bonded by blood. Until Albus knew that Ginny was the Seer he had not connected that it was referring to familial relations. We were told to protect them and to encourage any natural abilities that emerged."

"So what happens this year," Ron asked. "Do we fight Voldemort and defeat him this year? Or do we wait?"

"We don't know when the Final Battle will take place," James answered. "And as we said before, we do not know what the outcome will be. However, the four of you will be receiving additional instruction at Hogwarts this year. Your mother will take the Defense Against the Dark Arts position and I will be instructing a Dueling Club. The club will be a guise for you all to learn all you will need to battle the Dark Lord."

Just then, Sirius poked his head in. "Hello all," he greeted them somberly. "Sorry I had to run out for a while. But look who we ran into." He reached behind him and pulled Hermione into the room.

"Hello everyone." She greeted them, her eyes widening at the sight of all of them. When she gazed at Harry her eyes filled with tears. Straightening her back, she stepped forward and said, "So, what have I missed?"