Harry Potter the Power Unknown By Priya Ashok

Chapter 19

Harry had been asleep for about four hours when his monitoring spell woke him up. He got up, not wanting to disturb Snape who was sleeping soundly and softly went to the other bed. Snape had been sticking to Harry like a leech and even the mental link that had been reinforced after they got out of the chamber had not reassured him.

It was Alice who was awake again and was looking around with a scared look on her face. Seeing Harry she calmed down and sent a small smile to him and asked softly, "Neville is fine isn't he, Harry?" and looked at him trying to see deep into him.

Harry nodded his head vigorously as he once again sat down by her side and took her thin hand into both his hands. "Yes, Mrs. Longbottom. He is fine. But for now it is better he is at your home as the Ministry officials and others will be in and out, wanting to speak with him and Mrs. Longbottom. The moment it settles down both of them will come here to be with you and Mr. Longbottom."

She lay quietly for sometime looking at Harry and at her hand in his alternatively. Harry had been holding her and she had not resisted so Harry had continued to hold her hand, softly and gently stroking her hand. Harry desperately wanted to ask her questions but was scared to panic her and so he remained quiet as he ran through all ideas for gently questioning her.

"You look a lot like James, and you have the same brilliant green of Lily's eyes, Harry." Alice said suddenly breaking through Harry's thoughts of how to initiate a conversation that would not scare her. When she spoke, he decided to grasp at it.

"I know, everyone's told me that Mrs. Longbottom. I don't remember, though." Harry started, praying she would say something that would help them, give them a few answers.

She looked at him, her eyes wide and sad. "Yes you would not remember Harry. Your parents died the same day we were tortured by Albus." Slow tears fell from her eyes as she suddenly clasped his right hand tightly. Harry sat petrified as he watched her cry, each tear falling with a depth of sorrow he could not quite define, but felt all the same.

Harry sat there frozen with shock as Alice poured out her grief. Slowly so that he would not alarm her, Harry shifted on the bed and came up to where she was lying down and placing an arm on her shoulder, lifted her so that she was partially lying and partially sitting against him. He held her as she wept and continued to hold her, trying to offer some comfort by holding her.

After about half an hour, when she had calmed down and Harry had thought she had gone back to sleep, she whispered again, "Harry, Frank and I were members of the Order of the Phoenix. Do you know of that organization?"

Harry did not move from his position as he answered her softly, "Yes Mrs. Longbottom. I do."

"Your parents were also members of that organization that was headed by none other than Albus. Frank and I were aurors and we had immense connections in various departments of the Ministry, both the high and the low levels."

Harry did not dare to answer. He held his breath as he tried not to hurry her to say more. He waited but Alice did not say anything else. Harry could have gnashed his teeth and banged his head with frustration. But the very fact that Alice Longbottom was so coherent made him happy on another level as he tried to squash a pang of envy as he thought of Neville.

He had Snape, Sirius and Remus who were family and the Flammels who had done so much for him. But a very small voice that would not listen, whispered back to him saying they were not his mother or his father.