Chapter-6 – A Letter to Future Harry

A.N.: Hey guys, sorry for the delay today. I was just so busy today with college that i didn't get time to upload a chapter. Anyways, here it is.

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Hello Harry,

You must be confused to see that all your surroundings and your condition have changed, and wondering what is the creature, or rather the being, in front of you is. I understand that this must be a lot to take in, and believe me, I do know. To understand what is happening, I ask you to please read this letter in its entirety, and do not tell anyone about this, you will understand later when you understand your condition. But, to make sense of what is happening, and who I am, you need to understand a few things.

 I assume you know what planets, solar systems, galaxies and universe is. If not, let me explain: you know that you live on Earth, and this Earth is called a planet. A group of planets orbiting around the sun makes up a solar system. A large number of solar systems together form a galaxy. And all the galaxies in the world form the universe. It is so big that you can't make any sense of it. Anyway, now you know what a universe is.

Where I come from, there is a theory that says there is not only one universe, but an infinite number of them, all of them similar or different from each other to some extent. All of them have their own set of realities and possibilities of the future. Although it has never been proven, this letter, and my existence are proof enough for it. I am myself from another universe. You also exist is my world, or rather a version of you.

 And now this must come as a bit strange: though you do exist in my world, but not as a person, but a rather as a fictional character is a book. I know, it must be shocking, but understand one thing Harry, this DOES NOT mean that you are not a real person, or everyone and everything around you are not real. You ARE real. It just means that humans are not alone is this world. Anyway, you and your life's story were known all around the world, in my life, which was described in seven books. What you need to understand next is a bit difficult to describe on paper, but I will try my best. But first, you must know some things about yourself and your parents. Do not believe what the Dursley said to you about them, none of that is true.

Your name is Harry James Potter, son of James Potter and Lily Potter nèe Evans. You were born on 31st July, 1980. Your 'aunt' Petunia is your mother's sister. They did not die in a car crash like Petunia might have told you, neither were they useless drunks. You have a godfather whose name is Sirius Black. You might be thinking if you have a godfather, then were you left with your relatives; there is a reason for it, keep reading, you will know soon enough. I know all this information might be overwhelming, so take your time.

 Another thing you should know, which is very important, is that is magic exists. Yes, magic as in real magic. And you, are a wizard, Harry. Even your mom and dad were a witch and wizard. Doubt it? Try to remember, have you ever done something that you couldn't explain? When you were scared, or angry, or really wished for something to happen. All of this happened because you used magic, or rather, as it is called accidental magic, because children usually don't have much control over their magic. So yes, magic exists.

 Because your mother had magic, and Petunia did not, she grew jealous and eventually hateful of magic and to her sister, and ultimately you. And, you are not the only with magic, there are a bunch of people out there who can use magic, there is a whole civilisation of them, hiding in plain sight. Don't worry, I will explain more things later, but there are a few important topics that must be covered.

Now comes the strange part in this whole tale. Where do I come in this whole thing? To be honest, I don't know how it happened it either. What happened is, that I went to sleep in my world, and the next thing I know, my soul or consciousness had been transported into your body on the night when you turned 8. I know it is strange, but it is what it is. I was a fan of the stories that I had read, and even though I had many times dreamt of what it would be like to be in this magical world, I didn't ask for this, neither did I have any hand in all this happening. 

I don't know if you could see what was happening while I was in body, or if you got any memories of time I was in your body, that's why I am writing this letter to you. In case you got the memories of what I did during this time, then you know what all I did, how I did, and what is coming in the future. You know what to do with all the research material that I have. However, if you did not get those memories, then don't worry, I made a back-up plan just in case.

The creature in front of you, is called a house-elf, and her name is Tinky. House-elves are magical creatures that bind themselves to a magical individual or to a magical family. They serve their masters or family in exchange for some amount of magic, for they cannot survive without it. They are loyal creatures who will follow your every order, who will do anything for their masters. However, in the wizarding world, they are abused by most of their masters, and treated worse than slaves; wizards always underestimate them. However, never underestimate a house-elf. They have their own magic which is very different from wizards, and it is very powerful. I know that you are kind person Harry, even after all you have been through, so I ask you to be kind to them, especially the Potter family elves. Even a bit a kindness will gain you their undying loyalty for the rest of your life.

Anyways, if you did not get any memories, tell this phrase to Tinky: "Linux Ubuntu is my favourite operating system." You might not understand these words, bit Tinky knows what to do when she hears this. She will bring a couple of things for you, which will help you to understand the world around you, and all the things I have done till date to keep you and those close to safe. I do not know when you will read this, so I have included a journal of mine, which includes my day-to-day life for as long as I've lived as you. Everything from what magic I've learned and might have created, the current situation of the world, to all the people I've interacted with. I hope it will help you fit in with the others.

Next thing is a notebook in which I've written everything I remember from the books which described, all the events that happen, all the people you would have met, basically everything I knew about your life before I came here. Though I would have preferred you discover your life on your own, but your life will be chaotic in the coming years when you attend the school where you will study magic, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will need it. 

Another thing that I've included is a notebook which will have all the research I've done on magic, from understanding what magic is and how it works, to any new magic that I've created on my own. It also includes my research for travelling between realities, so I could return to my family This is will help you a lot. Another thing I might include in the future might be a pensieve and some memories. It is magical artifact which looks like a stone bowl that lets you view memories. Currently, I do not have the resources for it, but I will see if I can include it as well. It will be useful for you. Don't worry, I've enchanted them so only you can read them.

Now, there are a few more things that you should know Harry, they are very important. In the wizarding world, especially in Wizarding Britain, there is a lot of discrimination between the people. People who have only magical ancestors in their family tree, that is, they do not have any non-magical ancestors(muggles) are called Pure-blood wizards. They are in a minority in the wizarding Britain. People who have both magical and muggle ancestors are called half-bloods. They are in majority in the magical society. Then there are those who do not have any magical ancestors in their families, they are called muggleborn. 

However, even though Pure-bloods are in minority, they are old families, with a lot of money. They have caused a lot of discrimination against half-bloods, and especially muggleborns, because they believe themselves to be better than others, because they have "purer blood" than the others. Using their money, they have even made a lot of laws that discriminate against those who are pure-bloods. This has been the situation of wizarding society for the last couple hundred years. Now onto more recent history of the magical society.

In the wizarding society of Britain, there once was a young talented wizard by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle, a half-blood. He was a very gifted student in magic who used to study at Hogwarts. Everyone thought that he would go far in life, achieve great things. However, there was one thing that no one knew: though he had a very charming personality, he was not a good person. In fact, he was a very evil person. Even while he was at Hogwarts, he killed a student and pushed the blame on another student.

After graduating from Hogwarts, he disappeared for many years. No one knew where he had gone. Years later, he came back, changed. He took up a new name, Voldemort. He used his charm and exceptional magical skills to align the pure-bloods of the society to his side, and caused a civil war targeting all the half-bloods and muggleborn. They didn't even spare Pure-bloods who stood against him. This should tell you he had no desire to fight for the "pure-blood cause"; he just wanted power and to rule over Britain.

 It was like hell everywhere, people were dying everywhere, no one was able to stand up against him and his Death Eaters (his followers). People were so afraid of Voldemort that they started to call him 'You-Know-Who' or 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'. This war lasted for almost two decades, he had almost won the war when was finally defeated on one fateful Halloween Night. On 31st October of 1981, he attacked a young couple, who had stood against him in the war. While the mother of the young boy tried to run away to save her son, the father tried to save them. 

He put up a good fight against Voldemort, but he was mercilessly killed. Voldemort even gave the mother a chance to stand aside so he could kill the boy, so she wouldn't have to die. But she didn't, she begged him to just kill her instead and leave her baby. But Voldemort didn't listen. He killed the mother and then turned towards the boy. He cast the Killing Curse on the baby, a curse that kills the person instantly, there is no way to block it. But something miraculous happened. The curse didn't touch the boy, and rebounded on Voldemort and destroyed his body. The boy lived, with just a scar on his head. 

Yes Harry, it was you. You are the baby that Voldemort tried to kill but didn't succeed. On that night, you became the first and only person ever to survive the Killing Curse, and this action brought his reign over Wizarding Britain to an end. They named you as the 'Boy-Who-Lived', and celebrated Voldemort's end. You became a beacon of hope to them and a hero, for they thought that you ended Voldemort even as a baby. But that is not what happened that fateful night. It was actually your mother who did some kind of sacrificial ritual to protect you. She gave up her life so that you live. And you did. It put a protection over you that would protect you from Voldemort till you turn 17 years old. This is the power of love, Harry, never forget this. Your parents loved you Harry, never forget that.

Now, you should know what happened to your Godfather. In your father's time at school, he and another three friends of his formed a group, called Marauders. They were the pranksters of the school and caused pranks left and right during their time at school. The four members of the Marauders were: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. They were the best of friends, almost like brothers. Anyway, during the war, your parents knew they were being targeted by Voldemort, so they went into hiding when you were born.

So, they used a spell called Fidelius Charm. This is charm that helps to keep the location or a person secret from everyone else in the world. What this spell does is it hides the location in the soul of the "secret-keeper". Unless a person is told the secret by the secret-keeper, they can't the place. So, your parents decided to use this charm and make your godfather, the secret-keeper. However, Sirius suggested that they make Peter as their secret-keeper, because it was widely known that Sirius and James were the best of friends, and Peter was a bit of a coward. 

They spread the news that Sirius was the secret-keeper, while Peter would stay at a protected place. This way your parents could be afforded an extra layer of security, so they agreed. Now this is the place where all things went wrong. Your parents put their trust in the wrong person. It turns out that Peter was actually a Death Eater in secret, and he told the location of your parents to Voldemort. Barely a week later after Peter was made the secret keeper, Voldemort attacked your family.

On that fateful night, Sirius felt something was wrong, so he decided to visit your parents. There he found that the house was half-destroyed, both your parents dead, and only you survived. He was overcome with grief. He took you with him and was about to go somewhere safe when Rubeus Hagrid, a friend of your parents and loyal follower of Albus Dumbledore (leader of resistance against Voldemort) arrived. He said that he was there to take you to Dumbledore. Sirius didn't want to give you away, but was somehow convinced. He was already overwhelmed with grief and just wanted to hunt Peter down, so he wasn't thinking clearly when he gave you away to Hagrid. While Hagrid took you away, Sirius went on the hunt down Pettigrew. 

When he finally caught up to him, Pettigrew created a scene in front of a lot of muggles, blaming Sirius about how he betrayed your parents. Before Sirius could retaliate, Pettigrew blew up the street, killing 12 muggles and dazing Sirius, and escaped from there, leaving only his finger behind, to frame Sirius. At that moment, Aurors (magical police officers) arrived and arrested Sirius. It was known that Sirius was supposedly the secret keeper of the Potters, so he wasn't even given a trail in court and was sent to Azkaban, a magical prison, guarded by Dementors, a foul magical creature that can suck out your soul. They suck away all your happiness, and make you live your worst memories and nightmares. 

On the other hand, while all of this was happening, Hagrid delivered you to Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and leader of the Order of The Phoenix, a group formed by Dumbledore to fight off Voldemort, was waiting in front of Dursley's house, with his long-time colleague and friend, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. Dumbledore left you here on their doorstep in middle of night on 1st November. While McGonagall didn't want to leave you here with your relatives, because she knew they were horrible people, Dumbledore didn't listen to her, and she wasn't able to go against him. 

He assured her that he set up a protection around this house using the protection your mother gave you, so you could grow up here, safe. It required that you stay near your blood relative, so that the protection was charged up. When McGonagall asked why couldn't you be taken in by another wizarding family, Dumbledore said that he didn't want the fame of being the Boy-Who-Lived to get to your head, and also not to endanger other families, for all the Death Eaters were not caught yet.

So, with all these reasons, he left you here, protected by the so-called protection he put up. However, when I arrived here, I checked for the protection that he set up, because I wanted to get away from the Dursleys. Imagine my surprise when I found out there were no protections around this house. I thought that my arrival might have broken them, but when I checked, there was not even remnants of it. Which means that there was no protection here to begin with. All of this pointed out that Dumbledore does not have your best interest at heart and had some nefarious plans for you. I do not know what his plans might be, but I have some guesses. But, to understand that, you need to understand why Voldemort came after you.

There was a prophecy made by a woman called Sybill Trelawney that said that you would have the power to destroy Voldemort, when she was giving a job interview for the post of Divination teacher at Hogwarts, to Dumbledore. Unfortunately, the first part of the prophecy was heard by a Death Eater, who reported it to Voldemort, who went on a nation-wide hunt to find out who could cause his downfall and eliminate the boy before he could become a threat to him. The specific words of the prophecy are:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

The first line talks about the baby who will be born who will have the potential to vanquish the dark lord (Voldemort). The second line refers to the parents who have thrice defied Voldemort, born as the seventh month dies, meaning at the end of July. The line '... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal' refers to the lightning bolt scar on your head, with which Voldemort marked you as his equal.

Now there is something else also that you should know. You were not the only boy who fit the prophecy. There is another boy, by the name of Neville Longbottom, who also fit the criteria for the prophecy. The parents of both of you had fought against him three times and came out alive. His birthday is also on the end of July, on 30th. However, the reason Voldemort might have attacked you, and not him, is because Neville is a pureblood. Voldemort marked you as his equal because both of you are half-bloods. 

The line '… but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...', this I do not know what does this refers to. It could refer to the knowledge of the future and any magical research that I did, that you will inherit from me, that will help you get an edge over Voldemort. It could refer to the great magical potential that you have, or it could be power of love. Don't underestimate the power of love, Harry. It is very powerful. In the books, just like your mother made a sacrifice to protect you with the power of love, you also made a similar sacrifice in your final battle against Voldemort, which helped to save countless people (Don't worry, you survived 😉). 

The next line '... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...' refers to the fact either one of you must kill the other. And yes, this means Voldemort is still alive, and he will come back. Voldemort won't stop until he has killed you, and you won't be able to live in peace until he is dead. But don't worry Harry. Everything will turn out to be fine. I will help you get through this.

Before we get into what plans Dumbledore might have, you need to know about his background. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, was born in a middle-class wizarding family to Percival and Kendra Dumbledore, in the 1880's. He had a younger brother Aberforth and a sister named Arianna. Dumbledore's early life was marked by family tragedy when some muggles children saw Arianna when she had a bout of accidental magic. They bullied her to show it her again, which caused her to become traumatised and she became a fearful of her own magic, leading her to become an obscurus.

 An Obscurus is a type of powerful magical parasite that forms when a wizard or witch suppresses their magical ability. An Obscurial is the person whose body is a host for the Obscurus. In retaliation, Albus's father attacked those muggle children, for which he was sentenced to Azkaban, where he ultimately died.

After this incident, the Dumbledore family moved to Godric's Hollow, the same village where your parents were in hiding. At Hogwarts, Albus was sorted into Gryffindor (a house in which students are sorted in Hogwarts) and quickly gained a reputation as a brilliant student. He excelled in various magical fields, especially in Transfiguration. Dumbledore's personal life was marked by a complex friendship with Gellert Grindelwald, a wizard with whom he shared ambitious and controversial ideals.

They had the plan to subjugate the muggles all around the world and make them slaves to the wizards. However, during an argument between Albus, Gellert, and Aberforth, which later evolved into a three-way magical duel, Arianna died due to a stray spell that hit her. This caused a fallout between Albus' relationship with both Gellert and with own brother, and he finally came to his senses that his ideals were wrong.

Afterwards, he took the post of Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts, and the later on became Deputy Headmaster. Tom Riddle also attended Hogwarts during time. Whereas Gellert went on continue his dream and caused a world war between wizards. In the end, Albus and Gellert fought in a duel in which Albus won, and brought an end to the war. For his actions, he was given multiple high ranking political positions. He also became the Headmaster of Hogwarts after the previous headmaster, Armando Dippet. In the intervening years, nothing much of note happened except for your parents attending Hogwarts, and the start of Voldemort's reign.

Now onto what plans Dumbledore might have. It could be that Dumbledore knew that he would not be able kill Voldemort until the prophecy was complete, that is, either you kill him, or Voldemort kills you. So, his plan could be to make you a pawn who will sacrifice himself under his teachings, so he could finally kill Voldemort.

Another plan could be that he could feel that his popularity in the wizarding world was declining after defeating Grindelwald, and that his fame got to his head. He might have planned to kill Voldemort himself, but before he could, the prophecy came in, throwing his plans in water. So, he might have decided to use you as pawn in a chess game, trying to lead you to your death and come in at last minute, after you died at Voldemort's hands, to kill Voldemort, and take all the fame for himself.

Do keep in mind that these are just guesses on my part. It could be that his plans could be vastly different, and he might have different motives for leaving you here. Or it could be that I might have made a mistake in regards to his character and was just not able to detect the protection he put up. It could just be that he genuinely thought that you would be safe and happy with your blood relatives, that your aunt would take care of you, no matter she how much she hated her sister, she would never abuse a child. But it would seem that he made a mistake in regards to that. 

I am writing this letter to you barely after a week after I arrived here, because I am not sure when, or rather if, I might return back to my world without any doing on my part. And I don't want to leave you without you knowing what is happening in this world, and to help you against Voldemort.

 There are many more things that you still need to know, like how Voldemort survived that night, what exactly happened on that fateful Halloween night and other things, and why do you have that scar on head, but I can't explain them all here. Read the notebook that I've left about the books describing your life.

I do not know if, by the time you read this, I've killed Voldemort, or how much I have changed the world from how it was supposed to be. I do not if you will remember all the magic that I've learned, but I do hope so that you do. In any case, I leave you all my research in hopes that it will help. Do know this Harry, that you won't be alone, I will try so that when you come back you will have trustworthy friends around you who will always be with you and allies that will help in time of need.

Best of luck Harry, and have a good life. And who knows, I might just be able to visit you in the future if my research on travelling between realities yields anything 😉. Until then, 

Your friend from another world,

Ojasveer Singh Saini