The Bitter Hug of Mortality | R | Chapter Seven

[meh_forget_it]

Please stop reviewing just to say this should be Tom(Voldemort)/Harry. It's not going to happen. They'd end up killing each other.

On a different note, this is my favourite chapter so far… ;D


Chapter Seven

Harry did, much to the surprise of many, manage to survive for the next ten days, and so when it came to the twenty-second day of August, the day there would be a full moon, Harry was sitting in the library - not his secret cubby hole - reading a random book about potions ingredients as recommended by Marcus, and trying his hardest not to fidget in his seat and garner Marcus' attention.

"It's time. You need to go cleanse." Harry jumped a little when he heard Ignotus speak, before he closed his book - not bothering saving the page as he hadn't really taken any of it in anyway - and standing up.

"Going somewhere?"

"I need to bathe."

"Pardon?" Marcus asked him, looking as though he wasn't sure he'd heard right.

"I need to bathe."

"Right. Thought you said that. Er… it's only seven in the evening. Surely it's a bit early for a bath," Marcus pointed out, looking out of the window to see a bright sky.

"Not if I want time. I'm going to be away for a while. Tell your master that he's going to have to wait for me to get back if he needs me for anything, and not to worry, I'll be perfectly safe," Harry said with a small nod, hoping he'd left no room for argument.

"Wait a minute!" Apparently there was room for argument. Harry sighed and paused by the door, looking at Marcus questioningly. "One, he's my Lord, not my master and two, you can't leave! You're here hiding from Dumbledore! What if he gets you when you leave?"

"I don't think Dumbledore is one to sit around in a town centre and hope his victim passes by. In fact, the dead have told me he's currently eating lemon drops of all things in his office. Now, excuse me, I have to bathe! Oh and er… could you give me a head start? You know, like tell your Lord in about an hour. Please?" Harry asked, realising that it would be awkward to have the Dark Lord burst into your bathroom whilst you're having a bath.

"How do you know you'll be safe?"

"Because I do! It's the night of the full moon! The dead are super sensitive tonight so they're even more aware of Dumbledore's actions, so in turn, I am too! Trust me on this, I'll know the second Dumbledore thinks about tracking me down. Hell, I'll know before he thinks of it because I'll get a seer to keep an eye on him. Happy?"

"Why don't you do this permanently instead of relying on the Dark Lord?"

"It's wearing. The dead actually do need rest, hence the rest in peace shit. And it wears me down as well. I can't constantly be alert. However, for one night, I can be. Please, Marcus. I won't ask anything else of you, just this. Please?" Harry asked, fully aware he was begging though his glasses totally hindered his puppy-dog eyes.

Marcus just stared at him with narrowed eyes before he sigh and slumped in his chair. "Fine, but if he finds out before the hour is up and catches you, I don't want to be involved."

"Promise! I won't mention you at all should I be caught! Cheers!" Harry called out before running out of the library and to his room. "We've got until three in the morning, right?"

"Yes, that is the time to link them to you. Now, you need to bathe for twenty-seven minutes. Don't forget to put the salt in the water this time."

"Yeah yeah, man you forget the salt one time and no one ever lets you forget. I should add hyssop as well, right?" Harry asked as he entered his room and made his way to his en suite.

"Yes, you will need to hold your breath for the last three minutes and submerge all of your body in the water. I will let you know when it is time," Ignotus told him. Harry just nodded as he started to run the bath, thankful that it was possibly the most indulgent bath he'd ever seen and he could possibly swim in it if he put his mind to it, at the very least he could comfortably submerge his entire body in the water. As it was filling with barely tolerable hot water, Harry added what he felt was almost his body weight in salt - it wasn't, but Harry liked to whine when he could - and a few drops of hyssop oil. He then quickly stripped - when you've grown up talking to dead bodies, you didn't tend to feel shy in their presence - lit a few candles, two white for spiritual enlightenment and cleansing, and one silver/grey to enhance his psychic ability. Well, he was pretty sure talking to dead seers wasn't technically his own psychic ability, but he'd learnt about this ritual years ago and Antioch had been insistent on using that colour candle.

When everything was in order, Harry stepped into the bath, hissing at the heat and mentally praying that he didn't pass out again when he left the bath, he submerged himself in the fragrant water until only his head was out of the water and then just relaxed and closed his eyes.

Harry was almost asleep in the bath by the time Ignotus got his attention once more, "It is time to submerge your head as well, Horatio."

"Wha? Oh, right, okay. See you in three minutes," Harry said, blinking a couple of time before taking a deep breath and ducking his head under the water. He had found it a little weird at first, when he was fourteen and the Peverell brothers all insisted that he learn to hold his breath for as long as he could. Now it totally made sense and by the time the second minute passed - he was mentally counting - he was regretting not keeping up with the practice as his lungs were screaming at him to breathe.

"You can come up now, Horatio!" Harry launched himself out of the water, gasping at air and near hyperventilating he was so desperate for air.

"Oh Christ. Okay, I get it, practice more. No need to look so damned smug," Harry finally managed to gasp out, glaring at the smug spirit.

"Maybe now you'll listen to us. You'll find cleansing baths will become much more common now. Right enough whining from you, get dressed in well fitting clothing and you'll need to braid two plaits either side of your face, then you'll need your agate, lapis and garnet knives. Bring along a couple of diamonds, some hematite, amethyst and obsidian as well, can't hurt to have them. Oh, and some mugwort to burn as well. Oh yes, and don't forget the white campanulas as your offering. I will curse you if you don't leave me some."

"Sheesh, alright. We'll need to stop by my greenhouse for the campanula. I didn't think to grab any offerings when I ran. It should be safe, right? Dumbledick only warded my house, didn't he?"

"It'll be safe as long as you climb over your fence and don't touch your house in anyway. Now, lets get going. It's going to be a long and exhausting night."

Marcus waited the hour that Harry had asked for before he promptly snapped his book shut, placed it on the coffee table in the middle of the circle of seats he was sitting on and stood up, walking at a brisk pace to leave the library and towards where he sensed his Lord through the mark.

He came to a stop in front of the doors to the smaller meeting room, which meant that the Dark Lord was possibly in a meeting or had just finished one. Either way, Marcus knew he would be punished more if the Dark Lord found Harry was missing and that he knew. Hopefully the Dark Lord would think Harry had only just left and that Marcus hadn't waited an hour.

He knocked on the door before entering the room, barely withholding a flinch when he saw the Dark Lord looking at him expectantly with four inner circle members standing in front of him, also looking his way.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to interrupt, My Lord, but I thought you should know that Harry has left the manor. He wouldn't tell me why and wouldn't let me stop him. He seemed excited though and was adamant that he could hide from Dumbledore."

"He left? That blasted muggle! Why does the boy not listen to me! Marcus, as soon as he gets back, bring him to me! Clearly I've been too lenient with him."

"Yes, My Lord," Marcus said, cringing inside at what possible punishment Harry was going to get and regretting having to tell on him in the first place.

"Oh, and Marcus?" Marcus looked up at the Dark Lord at the dangerously quiet words and swallowed heavily when he saw the murderous look on the man's face. "Crucio!"

Harry quickly closed the gateway behind him that he'd stumbled through, using the same headstone he had used to go to Byland Abbey, and looked around him, eyes wide as he took in Godrics Hollow for the first time that he could remember, even though he knew he'd lived there for his first year of life.

"Whoa, this is Godrics Hollow? I can feel the ambient magic and Death."

"Well, I did live here all my life, and Cadmus and Antioch stayed with me for a long while. Our magic would have pretty much saturated the small village. Now, you'll want to head into the cemetery, follow me and I'll take you to my grave," Ignotus told him, stepping in front of him and walking over to a small, but well-kept and peaceful looking cemetery. They walked through past several headstones, Harry absently taking note of the names and recognising one or two of people he'd spoken to in the past. He smiled when he felt wave after wave of spiritual magic wash over him gently and then looked to the side at the headstone Ignotus was looking at sadly.

"That's your wife?"

"Yes, Maura, she was a beautiful woman."

"I've never spoken to her."

"No, you haven't. She's too far back in your family tree for you to really be able to contact without sitting here for a while. Sadly we don't have the time tonight. She is very proud of you though, even more so when you learnt Irish. That was her native tongue," Ignotus said, smiling sadly as he reached out to touch the headstone, only for his hand to pass through it. Harry winced at the sad sight and reached over to place his hand on Ignotus' shoulder, channeling energy through him to make him more solid. Ignotus smiled at him and brushed his hand over Maura's headstone. "Thank you, Horatio."

"No problem, Grandfather. We'll come back here soon, yeah? Have a proper family reunion."

"Good idea. Now, you need to kneel by my grave and concentrate on bringing the knuckles to the surface. They should heed your call because I am willingly giving them to you," Ignotus told him.

Harry just nodded and moved away from Maura's grave to kneel in front of Ignotus'. He placed his hand on the ground, digging his hands in the grass that had grown over his favourite uncle's resting place and then concentrated as hard as he could on the bones he would need and why he needed them. He inhaled sharply when he felt his energy leave him, to be greeted by the familiar feel of Ignotus' spiritual energy, practically curling and wrapping around him like a hug. Then, as soon as it came, the feeling left him and he felt something solid under his hands.

Leaning back onto the balls of his feet, Harry lifted his hands and smiled brightly at the sight of the slightly dirty, small bones. He tenderly picked them up and placed them in the ancient dragon hide bag that he'd had the goblins take out of his vault - which was technically a Peverell vault but now his as he had the key - and send to him.

"Thank you, Grandfather. You know, if you want to stay with Maura, I'm sure Cadmus and Antioch will be able to lead me through the rest of this," Harry offered as he reverently placed a couple of white campanulas on Ignotus' grave and then leant over and placed a couple more on Maura's.

"You are most welcome, Horatio. And no, I wish to see you complete this ritual. It is a big stepping-stone and I wouldn't miss it for the world. However, I may stay with Maura for a little while afterwards."

"That's good then. She probably misses you as much as you miss her. You haven't really left my side since Voldemort arrived back in Little Hangleton."

"You're my many times great grandson and almost like my son, I will not leave you alone with that man until I know for certain that you are safe. Now, have you rested enough? We really should get a move on. It is dangerous enough that we have to do this when it is still light."

"The sun will be setting soon enough, don't worry. We'll leave great-grandfather Roberts until last though, when we know it's definitely dark."

"Yes, probably for the best. Next it would be best if we went to a wizarding cemetery in Berlin. That is where Agrippa's resting place is. Use my headstone as the next gate."

"I can't believe I'm going to be using the bones of Agrippa," Harry muttered under his breath as he quickly drew out his next gate, concentrating on the information he had for his next destination. He smiled brightly when it worked and he quickly stepped through, Ignotus following behind him, then Harry closed the gate behind them.

"Took your time coming to visit me, didn't you?" Harry didn't even have to concentrate for a strange looking spirit to appear in front him at the slightly accented gallic being spoke.

"Ignotus came first. You must be Agrippa. Thank you for allowing me to use some of your bones," Harry said back in gallic, dipping his head a little and smiling when Agrippa just waved him away.

"No need for thanks. I'm quite honoured that the Ignotus Peverell listened to me when I offered my bones to his newest apprentice and the first necromancer in centuries. Now, follow me and I'll take you to my grave. It's unmarked for some reason, but don't worry, our own grave is something we find hard to lose," Agrippa told him with a full belly-laugh that made Harry chuckle as well, even though he wasn't entirely sure what was supposed to be amusing. Harry just grinned at the jolly man leading him through the many ancient tombs and graves before he came to a stop in front of a fairly unremarkable grave that many would be shocked held the remains of Cornelius Agrippa.

Harry smiled brightly at Agrippa once again before he knelt down in front of the grave and repeated the same process he had done with Ignotus'. He gave another gasp when he once again felt spiritual energy embracing his own, only this time he wasn't familiar with it though it seemed to feel just as strange, large and jolly as the man it belonged to was. It took a little longer this time for the energy to leave him and to feel a few finger bones under his hand, but it was expected as this was the first time Harry had ever tried to contact Agrippa. Though now he had the man's bones, he would be able to speak to him whenever they wanted no matter where Harry was in relation to Agrippa's grave.

Harry leant back once he felt the bones and added the two that were on the ground in front of him to the five he'd received from Ignotus in the small pouch and then left a handful of white campanulas by the headstone.

"Thank you again, Agrippa."

"It's no trouble, tiny necromancer! It is a pleasure and a joy to know you will be using my remains in your gracious magic! Your Master and Lord has seen to bless you, so I feel blessed you would use my bones! Now, you had better leave here as you no doubt have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in," Agrippa told him with a large, wide smile, patting him on the shoulder heavily and making Harry practically collapse back to the ground he'd just stood up from.

"May I use your headstone for my next gate?"

"Of course! Would you mind if I watched? It has been so long since I have witnessed your type of magic!"

"Sure, oh and don't worry, when I close the gate, my blood will be absorbed into the stone and the chalk should wash away with the next rainfall," Harry assured him, before he bent and created his next gate, this time thinking of his next destination, which was in Northampton. Once the gate opened, Harry turned to smile at a mesmerised Agrippa and then stepped through, Ignotus once more following him. Harry closed the gate behind him and then bent over a little to try and regain some energy.

"Just rest for a moment. Cassandra will be here soon, but she won't mind waiting for you to get some energy back. You haven't had to do this many gates and rituals in one go before. Don't worry, this is normal," Ignotus reassured him, resting his translucent hand on Harry's shoulder.

After a few minutes of just resting there, Harry finally straightened up, smiling when he saw one of his childhood mentors, Cassandra Trelawney, standing in front of him and smiling brightly.

"Ah, little Harry. How I've missed talking to you. It does get so lonely without someone alive to talk to. I have been keeping an eye on you though. Your future looks so happy!" Cassandra told him, motioning to hug him - always a strange experience with a spirit. Harry just smiled and concentrated on her so that he didn't fall through her when they hugged.

"Good to see you too, Cass! Thank you for this!"

"The Peverell's asked me first, they knew I wouldn't say no to you! Now, follow me and I'll take you to my grave. You're lucky that my great-great-granddaughter is at Hogwarts now. She tends to like to visit my grave in the summer and forgets the time when she's here. Such a strange girl. Got some of my talent, but it's sketchy and prone to misinterpretation. I'm sad to say it was her talent that sent the Dark Lord towards your family," Cass told him, leading him through the many headstones of long gone wizards and witches before she came to a stop in front of a well cared for headstone, covered in many brightly coloured flowers of different kinds.

"You're sure this is okay? I mean, you still have living relatives, what if one of them has a child that is a necromancer? They won't be able to use your bones as well."

"Harry, Sybil is my only descendent and I don't see her having any children anytime soon. Besides, even if she did, it is highly unlikely that her children will be a necromancer. There is no necromancer blood in my family. Now, do what you must and stop questioning me."

Harry just looked at her and then nodded, kneeling in front of the grave and concentrating on Cassandra's remains buried deep in the earth, just as he did with Agrippa and Ignotus. He quickly felt the wise and ancient feel energy that he recognised as Cassandra wrap itself around him and then tug at him before he felt a few bones underneath his hands. He pulled back and plucked the three finger bones and one knuckle that was there and placed them into the pouch with the others. Then he placed some more campanula's on the grave along with a small bunch of freesias that he'd picked just for Cassandra, as they were her favourite flower but also were a flower for friendship.

"You can talk to me wherever now, you know!" Harry told her happily once he'd stood up and was happy to embrace Cassandra again, not realising just how much he'd missed her presence.

"I know. That is another reason I allowed you to use my bones. Mostly though, the bones of a seer will guide you better for future endeavours. Now, then, you've got one more grave to visit, I believe, so you had better get a move on," Cassandra told him, releasing him from their hug and moving back so that Harry could go back to her headstone. "The chalk will have washed away by the time Sybil comes back to visit my grave," Cassandra added when she saw Harry hesitate in front of her headstone.

"Right, okay then," Harry muttered, nodding his head before he started drawing out his next gate, this time to a cemetery he'd been to before a couple of times. Normally in November though. Ford Park Cemetery in Plymouth held the body of his great-grandfather, Lieutenant Dennis Roberts. Harry sent one last smile to Cassandra before he stepped through the gate and closed it behind himself and Ignotus.

When he straightened up and looked around him, not far from his great-grandfathers grave where he'd aimed for, he saw a proud looking man with a thick beard and short slightly wavy hair in an old Lieutenants Royal Navy uniform, standing up straight-backed in front of him.

"Lieutenant Roberts!" Harry said, giving a slightly weak salute, but the man had demanded one every time he and his aunt had come to visit.

"Horatio, good to see you again and in good health. My granddaughter told me you were in need of some of my bones. Strange request, but no stranger than meeting your eleven year old living great-grandson a good thirty years after you'd died. Come, we'll walk to my grave. How have you been this past year? The tales I have been hearing from the dead are not encouraging."

"Oh, you know… Living with a Dark Lord who hates people with no magic and tried to kill your brother when you were a year old, had to close the bakery so Aunty Sylv isn't best pleased with me, oh and I recently found out that Death is taking even more of an interest in my life than is usual. So, really, pretty boring," Harry added with a grin, laughing when his ancestor chuckled.

"Yes, it does sound dull. Now, I've been informed that me allowing you to use my bones means that I'll be able to actually talk to you and keep an eye on you no matter where you are, is that right?"

"Yep, totally right," Harry told him as they came to a stop in front of his great-grandfathers grave, Harry glanced at the proud man, who gave a small nod, and then knelt in front of the man's grave. Once again he did the same as he had with the previous graves. Once he felt the familiar energy of his great-grandfather greet him and offer up his bones, he smiled at how quick he was at doing this - shame he probably wouldn't need to do it again - and picked up the bones he had been given before placing them in the pouch with the others and replacing them with a few campanulas, "thank you for this."

"No need for thanks, now, you two should probably head back to wherever it is that you need to go," Harry's great-grandfather told them, waving him towards his headstone with a smile. "I'll come visit you when you have a bit more energy."

"Okay! See you later then, Lieutenant!" Harry told him with a brisk salute before he drew the next gate, and his last for a little while, and then stepped through with Ignotus, grinning when he was greeted on the other side by Cadmus, Antioch and a broad-shouldered, rugged looking man dressed in a dark green tartan kilt.

"Ah, Death's Favoured has come back. We are honoured you chose to use our grounds for this ritual once more. I am James of the Gordon Clan," the man told him with a small tilt of the head. Harry nodded back and smiled at him.

"I've successfully performed a ritual here before and had better than great results, so of course I'm going to come back! I feel a link to here now," Harry told them with a bright smile, throwing his arms wide when the light of the full moon shone through the scars clouds in the sky and lit him and the battleground he was standing on up, filling him with a touch more energy. "I can feel all the deaths that happened here."

"As you perform more and more rituals, the closer and closer you will become to Death and all his subjects. Come, we should start preparing. We have just enough time to do so before three," Antioch told him, stepping forward and placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Right, okay," Harry said, quickly turning to close the gate he and Ignotus had arrived through and then moving to where he sensed lingering energy from his last ritual here. He knelt down there and opened his bag, pulling out the remaining campanulas, as well as a few thistles and white roses, then stood up and scattered the flowers around him. Once that was done, he knelt once more and took out three knives, the various stones Ignotus had advised he bring, the sprigs of mugwort he had brought with him and a lighter.

Arranging the diamonds, hematite, amethyst and obsidian stones on the ground on front of him in a neat pile and then lining the knives up in the order he would be using them next to the stones. On the other side of the stone pile, he reverently placed the pouch with the bones he had collected in.

"Wee Necromancer?"

"Hmm?" Harry asked absently, concentrating on what he would have to do in thirty minutes time and what he had to do before then.

"We wish to offer out energy for your ritual once more and also, I would like to offer some bones." Harry turned to gape at the spirit of James in shock.

"Really?

"Aye. If you'll follow me, then I'll take you to where I fell for the Bruce," James told him, turning to lead him a small distance away from where Harry had been kneeling once Harry had stood up to follow. "It would honour me if you would use my bones for your collection."

"Wow. It's an honour for me to be allowed this," Harry told him with a bright smile, before he knelt and quickly performed the ritual he was now a dab-hand at, grinning when he felt James' energy embrace his and give up the bones he asked for. Harry carefully picked the two tiny bones up and then stood, bowed to James in thanks and hurried back to his knives.

Kneeling once more, Harry placed the bones into the pouch with the others he had and then picked up the mugwort and lighter before lighting the herb and slowly waving it around him and over his tools and bones. He then scattered the last tips of the mugwort around him, allowing it to burn out and bowed his head, closing his eyes and picking up the pouch.

With his eyes still closed, he tipped the pouch and emptied out one of the bones, smiling when he sensed the energy of Cassandra. He then opened his eyes and picked up the Lapis knife and nicked the bone with it before cutting his left thumb and rubbing the blood into the nick. He did this with the rest of the bones Cassandra had given him before placing them all on the ground on front of him and putting the knife back where he'd picked it up from.

"Bone of the Diviner, may you guide me to a future Our Lord deems right."

A wave of power and energy ran through him, making him bite his lip to hold back a groan of pleasure, before it left him and he had to take a deep breath to ground himself again. He then closed his eyes once more and tipped the pouch again until another bone fell out into his hand. He grinned as he felt the energy of James. He opened his eyes and looked at the bone, before this time picking up the agate knife and nicking the bone as he did with Cassandra's. This time he cut his thumb on his other hand and rubbed the blood into the nick. He repeated this process with the other bone of James and then placed them both next to Cassandra's, and put the knife back.

"Bone of the Defender, may you give courage to fight Our Lord's battles."

Once again, a wave of power and energy ran through him, this time a little stronger and leaving him breathless as it passed through him. He slumped a little when it left him and he had to take a couple of breaths to centre himself. Then he repeated the gesture with the pouch again, this time getting the bones of Agrippa. He smiled at the feel of the man's vibrant, dark energy before picking up the lapis knife and nicking the bone, cutting his right ring finger and smearing the blood on the nick, then repeating the process with the other bone and placing them and the knife on the ground.

"Bone of the scholar, may you gift me with the knowledge to aide Our Lord."

This time the he was ready for the wave of power and energy that washed over him and he managed to pull himself together quicker than he had the previous two times. Picking up the pouch again, he shook out the next bone, feeling his great-grandfathers energy in it and smiling. He picked up the agate knife again, nicked the bone and cut his left forefinger and rubbing his blood into the nick he'd made on the bone. He then did the same with the remaining bones of his great-grandfather and placed them on the ground along with the knife.

"Bone of the Leader, may you lead me where I shall help Our Lord."

The energy that rushed through him this time was even stronger than the previous three and left Harry breathless and gasping, fingers digging into the grass he was kneeling on. He slumped a little and took deep breaths, trying to stop the minute shakes he could feel racking his body, before he pushed himself up straight again and picked up the pouch, tipping out the remaining bones of Ignotus onto his hand. This time he picked up the garnet knife and sliced alone his left right palm after nicking all the bones, then he placed the bones into his palm and closed his fingers around them, feeling his blood flowing over them and leaking out between his fingers. He opened his hand when he felt they would be sufficiently covered in his blood and placed them on the ground, along with the knife and took a deep breath, closing his eyes once more.

"Bone of the Mentor, may you teach me what I will need to please Our Lord and guide me in His ways."

With that last sentence, Harry couldn't hold back the moan at the power and energy that rushed through him, leaving his fingertips and toes tingling, knocking the breath out of him and leaving him light-headed. He vaguely felt his hair being tugged at as he slumped forward over the piles of bones, mouth open in a silent yell of pleasure, back arching as he weakly propped himself up on his shaky arms. Then the energy left him, leaving him breathless once more and any remaining energy he had in his arms left him, leaving him to drop to the floor, just missing his knives.

"Horatio?" Harry groaned when he heard Ignotus calling his name a few minutes later, and he weakly pushed himself up until he was sitting, whole body tingling and limbs feeling like jelly.

"Did it work?"

"Oh yes, it definitely worked. He gifted you with more beads as well," Antioch told him, pride evident in his voice. Harry blinked at the four spirits standing in front of him blearily and then glanced down to see only five clean white bones left on the floor with inky black runes on them and a blood red nick on them all. He beamed happily down at them and shakily picked them up before placing them into his pouch.

"Wait, he gave me more beads?" Harry asked a minute or two later when Antioch's words penetrated his brain. Lifting a weak hand up, he felt at his hair and noticed the two thin braids at the side of his face now had a small bead at the end of each, both looking like they were made of bone but with veins of colour going through them. The bead on his left had emerald veins and the right had ruby. "What does that mean?"

"That you really are favoured by Our Lord," Ignotus told him, Harry glancing up at him and smiling when he saw the wide, proud smile on his mentor's face. "You have made us very proud that you carry our name and blood."

"It has been an honour to witness and be a part of this. I will gladly visit with you from now on, though I think you should be heading back to your home before your energy leaves you completely. We cannot protect you here, out in the open," James told him, placing a hand on his shoulder and smiling at him before he let go of the energy Harry was giving him and he disappeared.

"He is right. You need to head back. Voldemort was not best pleased that you had left and I feel your confrontation with him will mean him finding out some things you had been hiding from him. Just remember, Our Lord is clearly watching over you now, He'll keep you safe. Now, pack up your things and we'll go back to face Lord Voldemort's anger."

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A/N - So, a bit of insight into the relationship between Harry and Ignotus. Harry's close with all three Peverell brothers, but Ignotus is the brother that the Potter line came from, so he has basically been there for Harry for everything and is the more prominent of his mentors. He really does see Harry as his son, Cadmus and Antioch probably see him as their nephew, which technically he sort of is. Also, Potter Manor is never mentioned in canon, as far as canon is aware, Godrics Hollow is the only Potter property. Therefore, Potter Manor is totally in Northampton, as well as Cassandra Trelawney's resting place. Amusingly, if you know anything about certain sports and venues, then you can totally tell what sports I've been watching as I have been writing this. *Snickers*

Ford Park Cemetery does exist, many men of the military are buried there. There is also a Gordon Clan. That is the clan I am a part of. :)

Let me know what you think! Next chapter has the much anticipated meeting between Harry and Draco, as well as Voldemort's punishment for Harry. Let's just say there's going to be another couple of secrets about Harry revealed in them. And yes, I shamelessly channel my hatred of Draco Malfoy through Harry. *Grins*

Oh! Before I forget:

Lapis Lazuli - Deep Wisdom, Intuition, connection with the divine

Agate - Strength and Courage.

Amethyst - Spirituality

Obisidian - Scrying, Intuition

Diamond - Purifies, Scrying, Intuition, Meditation

Hematite - Grounding, Clarifies thought, Willpower, Confidence.

Ruby - Courage, Vigour

Thistle - Scotland's national flower. It also means bravery, courage and loyalty.

White Rose - the Rose is England's national flower, the white rose is the flower of Yorkshire more specifically. It also means truth.

Campanula - Give thanks.

Mugwort - Clairvoyance, Psychic Dreams, Protection

Fact of the week: Thistles don't die, they just dry out… like most Scots then! XD Also, a fact that doesn't mean anything to anyone but me, but apparently it's fecking impossible to get Scottish birth certificates. Either that or my father's family don't actually exist. (My mum did always claim that my grandad wasn't born, he just appeared one day when he was twenty-one. *Snort*)