Reliving the Past, Present, and Future

Chapter 18

Everyone had been pushed back into their seats when the pensieve threw them out, but Teddy was already on his feet and crouched next to Harry, talking in low whispers. 

"What's going on?" asked Sirius, throwing his hands in the air out of frustration. 

Teddy looked at Harry. "Do you want to explain or shall I?"

Harry hesitated, looking much older than his years. "Someone has tampered with the memories."

"What does that mean?" asked Hermione confused. 

"It means..." Harry hesitated again. "Anytime me in the memory feels pain... I feel it too... in the present."

"Are you saying when your bastard of an uncle was hurting you," started Sirius slowly, looking livid. "You were reliving it?"

Harry nodded once, feeling ashamed, while everyone else had a mixture of horror and concern in their expressions. 

"We can't look at anymore then!" cried Mrs. Weasley, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

Hermione and Ron exchanged a brief look in worry; Harry was hiding a lot more than not lately. Ron remembered he was still upset with her and awkwardly looked away.

Teddy exchanged a look with Harry. "I've discussed it with Harry and he's agreed to keep going. I've been doing a little research and it had to have happened in my time... but the Harry from the future never had any side effects from the memories." 

"Harry," said Lupin quietly, his eyes kind. "We don't have to keep going."

Harry looked down when all eyes fixated back to him. This wasn't about him, it was about saving lives. "You lot don't have to be here, but I'm going to keep going through the memories."

Sirius' lips twitched in pride, his god-son was a true Gryffindor. 

"What happens if we skip memories?" asked Hermione thoughtfully, hoping there was a way around it.

Teddy grimaced. "Aside from a few... separate phials..." He was referencing the memories he pulled out from his cloak last night. "He will feel the pain all at once... I don't think it will kill him, but it's dangerous the more we skip."

"You don't think it will?" said Mrs. Weasley, suddenly looking furious. She was now on her feet with her hands on her hips. "Who are we to meddle with time at Harry's expense? He's been through enough already.  He's only a boy!"

Harry had mixed emotions about this. It was nice to have someone like Mrs. Weasley caring for him, but he was not a child. Not after everything he's been through.

"Molly - "

"Don't 'Molly' me, Teddy Lupin," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes narrowed. Teddy had difficulty holding back a smile - his grandmother hasn't changed. "It seems I'm the only one here who wants to spare Harry the pain of -"

"Molly, everyone here cares about Harry," said Lupin, who had a firm grip on Sirius' shoulder so he wouldn't do anything rash. Snape couldn't but help roll his eyes at the dramatics. "This is Harry's choice."

"There are two more memories in Harry's first year," added Teddy, walking over to the pensieve. "We can take a break from the memories until after his trial."

Harry's face paled ever so slightly. His trial. How could have forgotten something like that? 

"And I know Grimmauld Place needs some freshening up," continued Teddy with a grin. He turned to Sirius, his grin still there but his eyes strangely serious. "Sirius, I need to have a word with you and Kreacher before we go back."