Chapter 6
'When we lose someone we love, We must learn not to live without them, But to live with the love they left behind' - Anonymous
Chapter 6:
It was early in the day, three days after his trip to Diagon Alley with Death, that he finally found the strength to open the Potter and Peverell trunks. Bhatilda's trunk was amazing, something that wasn't a surprise considering the stories the woman told of her youth. The trunk had been filled with books on history and unfinished writings in leather-bound journals all stacked in one side. She had instructed him to find the only journal that had black leather instead of brown, it was Hebridean Black leather, a journal full off secrets and odd pieces of history she had found about the Founders of Hogwarts and Hogwarts itself. Hearing that the castle was sentient had his eyebrows rising in wonder.
He could practically feel the pride and smugness rolling off of her when he sat down and read through the journal, apparently asking her if he could keep it with him and take it to Hogwarts was the right thing, for she immediately accepted and filled the soul connection with pride. Apparently the hag has an ego with history.
Yesterday had been donated to finally asking Bhatilda what her souls wish was, after all that was what he was also here for.
She had sniffled a bit, saying that watching him have fun and learn new things was something she had never had the chance of seeing as an older lady, she was rather isolated. But then she had sobered up and told him the story involving Albus Dumbledore and his brother Aberforth and sister Ariana and a rather surprising Ex- Dark Lord called Gellert Grindlewald. Hearing about the story behind Ariana's death was surprising, a conflict between the best of friends who split over their ideals, a fight, and then Ariana being hit in the crossfire. It was unfortunate, and now he understood why Aberforth Dumbledore had spoke harshly over his brother, he had put Ariana in danger, and Aberforth failed as her guardian. Harry connected his graveyard visit with Bhatilda and she smiled sadly.
*I'd like you to repair the broken brotherhood between Albus and Aberforth, there is no helping Gellert since he is in Numengard Prison rotting away. But brothers need to stick together, and Albus will need it if this Dark Lord Voldermort intends to rise again. He cannot be left alone*
"I'll see it done milady, your wish is my command.*
And with his final words his magic rose in flickering orbs of light and then snapped and stretched tight, a word of oath between Soul Carrier and the Carried.
---
And so here he was sat in front of the Potter trunk, an impatient Bhatilda buzzing in his ear to 'get a move on already you piece of hippogriff shite!'. Unclasping the lock he slowly raised the lid. There was no letter, no secret message to their son, and it made him sad to think they had been killed so unexpectedly they had no chance of planning for after their deaths. He left the compartment of clothes untouched, feeling invasive for going through their clothes, he would maybe look later at his dad's jackets if he was brave enough. The next compartment however was jewellery, most likely items his mother had wore. Expanding the compartment he lifted the now much larger lid and peered inside. A red velvet box sat neatly beside an assortment of pendants and watches. His mothers silver watch and his fathers leather watch, a pendant, oval shaped with a stone of moss agate set on a black ribbon, it was beautiful and Harry immediately slid it onto his neck, the pendant sitting heavily in the centre of his chest. Setting the watches back inside he opened the red box and gasped. His parent's wedding bands sat neatly, his father's silver band was thick and had a signet of a deer? How curious. His mothers engagement ring was silver with a chunky cut emerald that he imaged shone just like her eyes. Her wedding ring of a plain silver band engraved with a lily. He took the red box and tucked it into his spatial pouch sat over his heart.
The next compartment was of photos, a big family album over Harry as a baby, surrounded by his father, mother, traitor Peter, a rough looking man and a younger man with shaggy brown hair. On the back of the photo was labelled: First time the Marauders met Harry: Uncle Moony, Uncle Sirius, Uncle Peter.
He decided to tuck that photo into his spatial bag too, before shuffling through the rest. All were of himself or him and his parents. The final album was much older, and it had a lily embossed over the centre. Inside in a loopy scrawl was the title: Lily's Childhood!
And Harry's throat went dry.
There were only ten photos. One of Lily on her 11th birthday party, receiving her Hogwarts Letter, she wore the green pendant in this one he noticed, another a toad, the back detailing that she could speak to toads, a few others of Lily and her family, Petunia's ugly mug in the back. The last however brought interest.
The image had a large oak tree as its centre, at the base of the tree sat a boy and a girl. Lily's fiery red hair was a stark contrast to the boy's hair beside her, of pitch black, it curled around his face before falling town his neck in tufts. He looked...solemn...sad...but there was a hint of begrudging happiness at being beside his mother. And flipping the photo around it read:' Lily and Severus Snapey Snape on the final day before Hogwarts', in Lily's loopy handwriting.
Tucking the photo into his pocket too, he looked down and realised the final compartment was the library, it took him an hour, most exhaustingly, but Harry transferred all the books he didn't have off to the side to store in whatever trunk he chose out of the three to take to school.
He frowned. Where were their wands? Surely the ministry would have picked them up first?
Panicked he asked Bhatilda who couldn't give him an answer. Who would have wanted his parent's wands, the Ministry? For show? Surely not.
"What has unsettled you little soul?" Smiling in relief Harry turned to face Death, grabbing his hand and squeezing it for comfort he told Death about his parent's wands missing.
"Ah yes, Voldemort's wand has been missing since that day too, little soul, allow me to retrieve all three for you." He turned to disappear but was halted by Harry.
"Death I don't want to keep asking things from you like this, you are not some servant, I shouldn't rely on you all the time." Worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, he turned when a cold hand cradled the side of his face.
"Then little soul, allow me to dote on you, this is my showing of gratitude" Harry frowned
"Gratitude? For what?"
Death grinned "For becoming my greatest companion and friend little soul" And he disappeared in black smoke.
Harry stood, surprised at Death's words, that he was a friend, a companion, warmth spread from his chest.
No second later did Death appear with three wands clasped tightly in one hand and a struggling rat in the other.
"Thank you Death...truly....wait. A rat? Why is it here?" Taking the wands presented to him, he set them down and turned back to the rat.
"This is no ordinary rat, this is an animagus, he has the ability to turn into a single animal, this....is Peter Pettigrew. I simply followed connection of your parent's items to their wands and imagine my surprise when I come across him sleeping in the Weasley household, the wands buried in the ground just off of the plot.
Harry's eyes burned with green fire, his words, laced with magic, came out with a slight hiss, that made Death rise his none-existent eyebrows.
"Peterrr......Peter the traitorrrr.....why...." The rat shook, when it turned to face the fuming child.
Death squeezed his fingers and the rat popped and cracked, bones reverting back to a human's, Death dropped him onto the floor and the fat man shook. Keeping a tight hold on the man's magic Death stepped beside Harry, turning and running a skeletal hand through his hair, calming down his raging magic.
"Be at peace little soul...this man will face retribution now...he will face justice...and when they place him in prison I will take his soul...." His last words were hissed and Harry turned to look up at him eyes wide in surprise.
"You will?"
"I'll do anything you ask of me little soul" Harry gave a half sniff half giggle before holding the hand that was grasped on his shoulder.
"You shouldn't give me such power Death, you'll find yourself in trouble" Death cackled. Loudly.
A frightened squeak pulled their attention back to the quivering mass on the floor.
"Well well, Peter, it looks like you'll be taking a trip to the Ministry." Seeing Peter's form visibly shake Harry cooed "No no, do not fear, we will take good care of you Peter Peter the Ratty Traitor."
Death, without even being needed to ask, conjured a glass case, spelled to prevent escape and to open only to the receiver of the letter, Peter was transformed and stuffed into the case. Desperately clawing, the rat squeaked in fear. Death gave a cackle and upon receiving the letter Harry had hastily scrawled out, he took off in a cloud of smoke.
"Off to see Amelia Bonesssss" Death's chanting of his mission was rather amusing to watch, shaking his head he turned around to pick up the wands on his bed.
The first brown was of mahogany, and produced only weak red sparks for him, he assumed it was his fathers. The second wand was his mother's, a lighter wand, of caramel brown, it looked like willow and was very springy, something that suited his wild mother. The wand upon contact with his palm shot out bright green sparks, the wand felt warm and inviting, it caressed his palm, yet it felt distant, as if to say: 'You are not Lily, but you a so much a like'. Wiping his eyes and calming his breathing he picked up the last wand.
Voldemort's.
It was bone white, the wood looked like Yew and it felt sickly in his palm, despite the tree have connotations similar to death in terms of life and rebirth. It produced small green sparks, but Harry felt sick to even hold it, and so it was quickly bound in cloth an leather string. He dropped it into his spatial bag along with his parent's wands that were wrapped in silk. And lastly, the Peverell Trunk. Harry waited until Death returned, who didn't take long to return, coming up through the floor boards, a playful air about him.
"Have fun carrying Peter to Lady Bones did you?" Harry shot him a wide toothy grin and Death let out a pleased cackle. Hovering over Harry's right shoulder, mindful not to jostle Cromm who was sleeping, well, dozing, Death watched eagerly as Harry lifted the lid.
Inside was.....a book. One very large book, each page was of A4 size. The cover looked very old and was embossed in black gems down the spine and four on each corner of the front. Leather straps over the side to hold it closed, it was varying shades of black, and it looked very mysterious.
"A grimoire little soul, how very interesting"
"Grimoire? What is that?"
"Well it is a book of spells, old families sometimes have them, though its very rare, this one is a Peverell Grimoire, inside will be spells passed down by the generations of Peverells."
Harry stroked the Grimoire reverently. Death chuckle behind his shoulder.
"Treat it well little soul, I recommend you keep it with you always, and take the time to break it down and learn the important spells. Before you open it you should unshrink it first, after it it is not full sized."
Harry's eyes widened, it was already a decently sized Grimoire, but it gets bigger?
Hesitantly tapping it, he was surprised when it didn't grow in length but in page width. The book almost doubled in page width, it looked rather impressive and he found himself giving an amused chuckle.
Nodding at his rather fateful gatherings, Harry tucked the grimoire into his spatial bag. Nodding at the trunks now all open, he smiled at the Peverell trunk, it was a rather old and intimidating trunk of ebony wood, iron corners and thick leather straps, the white engraved symbol of the Deathly Hallows, it was stunning.
And so he devoted his final day to neatly packing his multi-space Peverell trunk. Death had to leave halfway through to work overtime so that he could escort him to the train station tomorrow morning.
And before he knew it. It was the morning of his trip to Hogwarts....