Harry Potter and the Secret Behind the Veil

Chapter One: The Life He Could Have Had

It had been a month since the tragic incident at the Ministry of Magic. Harry sat alone in his room every night, trying not to feel, not to care. The more he tried to resist this terrible thing; it just grew stronger in his head. The horrible feeling that it was his fault that Sirius was.... It was late at night and Harry Potter lay in his bed, a picture in one hand. A silent, single tear dripped down the young fifteen year-olds face. His emerald green eyes stared into the brave, dark eyes of his godfather, wishing it had all been a dream. But it wasn't. Sirius really had fallen; he really had been defeated. Hermione had told Harry that he was acting the hero, but did he ever listen? No. Of course not, famous Harry Potter has to always act the hero. Harry shook his head, trying to free this thought from his head. He was mad at himself, at Dumbledore, and Bellatrix. It all came down to that one woman. Why had Sirius not taken her seriously? She was the one who forced him through the veil. What was this mysterious veil? Harry had been so caught up in his emotions that he didn't even bother asking. Harry jumped at the sound of a light tapping on his window. Noticing what was there, he quickly went to the window and let Hedwig, and Pig, Ron's owl, into his room. The two birds swooped in a landed on his bed, where Harry hastened to untie Pig's parcel. He opened the letter and began to read:

Dear Harry,
Sorry that it has been a while since I last wrote, but I've been a bit busy. How are you? Hermione's here and we're still trying to get mum to let you come and stay, but she said that Dumbledore says that you need to stay at your aunt and uncles'. Bummer. Well, hopefully you'll come here soon. We've mainly just been doing homework and other things. What have you been doing? Well, it's getting late, so we had better be off. Hope to see you soon. Hermione sends her love.

Your friends,
Ron and Hermione

Harry folded up the letter. This had the effect of cheering him up slightly, but he was a little put off at the fact that Ron had left out what they had been doing. Well, Harry thought, at least they were thinking of him. He put the note in his pocket and got up to walk over to his dresser. He opened up his top drawer and found what he was looking for quickly, a broken mirror. He muttered an incantation under his breath and the shards of glass repaired themselves once again.
"Sirius!" Harry breathed into the glass. "Please, Sirius, answer me. I need you!"
No answer. Throwing the mirror had a pleasant ring to it, but he restrained himself and just placed it back in the drawer and flumped softly onto his bed. The luminous clock on his bedside table glowed eerily as the numbers went from 12:59 to 1:00. Soon, Harry realized how tired he actually was; he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Harry woke early in the morning and walked down into the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was watching the morning news with horror in her eyes. The man on the channel was concluding a report.

"Last night around 1:00 in the morning five people were found dead outside in Wisteria Walk, Surry. There were no marks on their bodies. Police are still unable to discover what has happened to them. The public is warned that the police think this may be homicide. Keep your doors locked and be alert for anything unusual. Back to you, John."

Harry's heart was hammering in his chest. Wisteria Walk? Down the street from me? No marks on their bodies'? Voldemort....

"Oh, no, no, no. It can't be happening.... not again...."

Harry turned at the sound of his aunt's voice. She had lain her head down on the table and begun to cry. He was startled to see his aunt so miserable, like the way she made him feel. Cautiously, he walked towards his aunt.

"Aunt Petunia?" said Harry softly.

She jumped as she heard her nephew's voice.

"Oh, I didn't realize anyone was in here."

"What did you mean by 'it can't be happening again'. You mean, Voldemort returning to power?"

"Yes. I did."

"How did you know about him? Why did you never tell me? Why are you hiding so much from me?"

Harry sat down on the chair to Petunia's right.

"I...I...I am a witch. I attended Hogwarts with your mother. She was oh so clever and so beautiful. And I.... I was so dull and ugly. The night she died was the worst day of my life. Not only because I had lost my sister, but because I was mad at her. I hated her for being popular, and pretty, and smart."

At this she stopped and sobbed. After a minute or so she regained herself.

"The reason I never told you, was because I was afraid you would want to join the wizarding world, I knew you would with it's fascinating things and scrumptious treats, but I couldn't lose you too. Your mother had died to protect you, Harry, and I knew that if I ever wanted to rest in peace, I must also do the same. I never told you any of this because of Vernon. He never knew I was a witch, that I still am. I thought that I would hide this from you forever, but now that he has returned, I must tell you the truth. I am sorry that I have kept all of this from you for so long. Please forgive me."

Again, she paused, starring at Harry with, for once, love not hatred.

"There's is something that I need to give you, that I want to give you."

She walks away upstairs. Harry sat bewildered, alone in the kitchen. Several moments later, he heard the squeak of the staircase and looked up in time to see his aunt's arrival. She placed an old box on the table and lifted the lid. Inside the box were many pictures, a group of lilies and two rings. Petunia reached into the box and pulled out the rings.

"Here, Harry, these are your parent's wedding rings. I found them in the house after.... after..."

She couldn't bear to go on. Harry took them from her hand as tears formed in his eyes.

"These are the first flowers that your father ever gave to your mother. She gave them to me when I told her that I hated her, that I despised her. How I regret that now."

Harry picked out the rest of the contents of the box and looked at them. They were wizarding pictures.

Petunia looked up and reached over.

"Right there, that's Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, your father, mother, Peter Pettigrew, me, and Andromeda, Sirius' cousin. You probably don't know them...."

Harry cut in with a sharp intake of breath trying, once again, to hold back tears at the site of his godfather.

"Sirius," choked Harry.

"You...you know him, Harry?"

"He was my godfather."

"Was?"

"He... he died..."

At this, Aunt Petunia began to bawl into her hands.

"Why? How could this happen?" she sobbed.

"His cousin, Bellatrix, shot him with a spell and he fell through a veil at the Ministry of Magic. He's.... gone"

"Did you know Remus or Peter or Andromeda?"

"Remus Lupin was my Defense Against Dark Arts professor in my third year, but then he resigned. I've only heard of Andromeda, I never met her. And I knew Peter and I know that he's the one who killed my parents...."

"Wait... Peter killed your parents? But... but Sirius was their secret keeper, well, I'm just assuming since he was their best friend."

"No, Sirius convinced them to change secret keepers at the last minute. It was Peter who killed my parents."

Many long moments of silence passed. Finally Petunia spoke again.

"Is...Is Remus still alive?"

"As far as I know, yes, but with everything happening will anyone be alive?"

"Harry dear, there will always be someone left, always. Never lose hope or you lose everything. Be strong and hold on to the life you're given, you only have one."

Harry thought about these words for long minute after long minute. How could she be telling me to keep hold of life, when she has been hiding hers for over 15 years? As much as that phrase irritated him, he felt some what comforted and although he hated to admit it, but she was right.

"Harry, I'm going upstairs now. Get packed and be ready to leave by 5:00 AM tomorrow morning. I am bringing you to the Weasley's."