When Harry awoke the following morning, a profound sense of bewilderment washed over him. Had it all been merely a strange, exhaustion-induced dream, or was it truly a genuine vision and contact with a real Seer? Unsure how to proceed, he nonetheless continued with his established morning ritual: meticulously writing in his dream journal.
It wasn't until he had finished recounting his nocturnal experience that he finally reached a conclusion regarding the previous night's events. He still couldn't be certain if what he had dreamt was a true vision or not; it could easily have been a mundane nightmare, a concoction of his weariness and his deep-seated fear of glimpsing something unsettling. If that were the case, it was inconsequential and pointless to explain to anyone. However, if it was reality, if Ginna truly existed and had valid reasons for revealing what she had, then he had to exercise extreme caution. The Headmaster and his parents would undoubtedly seize any opportunity to exploit him. Though, he mused, no one had said Ginna herself wouldn't attempt the same. No… the wisest course of action was to follow her instructions precisely, just in case. He would always have the option to inform others later.
And so, he began his day as if it were any other. Nothing in his demeanour betrayed the extraordinary events that had transpired while he slept. While his friends did notice his heightened distraction, they merely attributed it to the looming Ordinary Wizarding Levels (OWLs), and thus paid little heed to his behaviour. Besides, the Hufflepuff had always possessed a rather mysterious air about him.
The subsequent days unfolded with their usual rhythm. Harry remained engrossed in his myriad activities, with Quidditch practice and Potions assignments leaving him with barely any free time. Unconsciously, a nagging question surfaced: how was he ever going to find the time to learn to manage his gift of clairvoyance, if indeed he possessed it, when even now he found himself perpetually short on rest? It was for this very reason that he finally felt compelled to seek counsel, but from someone who would never betray his secret to the Headmaster, no matter how close they might be.
"Hello, young man."
"Fawkes! You startled me!"
"My apologies, I didn't mean to… but you were far too engrossed in your work."
"I must finish this potion. Mr. Fontee placed an order with me days ago, and I can't delay it any longer."
"You carry too many burdens on your shoulders, young man. If you continue like this, you will break."
"And what advice do you offer me?"
"Do only what is absolutely necessary. Do not investigate further for now… if you can, leave the team and focus solely on what is truly important."
"I don't know what I'll do if the dream was real and Ginna exists…"
"What?"
"A few days ago, I had a dream," Harry explained, his voice hushed. "In the midst of it, a woman appeared who, after scolding me, told me she was a Seer and that I also possess the gift. She told me she would come to teach me how to use it and that, until her arrival, I was not to explain it to anyone, as someone might try to take advantage of me."
The phoenix remained pensive for several minutes, observing Harry with an unwavering gaze. He seemed to be engaged in an internal debate, weighing whether to speak or remain silent. Finally, after making Harry squirm uncomfortably for a while, the magnificent bird appeared to reach a decision.
"Don't you think, novice, that you possess an excessive number of abilities compared to the rest of humanity?"
"What do you mean?"
"That your brother does not possess even a tenth of your capabilities, and yet he is supposedly prophesied to achieve great things…"
"I don't know what you mean, Fawkes," the boy said with a strange nervousness, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm nothing special, just Harry… a nobody."
"NEVER! NEVER UTTER THOSE WORDS AGAIN!" Fawkes exclaimed, his voice resonating with a mysterious fury, before vanishing in a burst of brilliant flames.
Indeed, though the boy's intention had been to receive some form of guidance in his predicament, Fawkes had ended up so incensed that, ultimately, he had offered no further counsel. Harry would simply have to wait to see if he truly received the letter and then act accordingly. In the interim, it would be best for him to continue his daily activities, adhering to the advice Fawkes had given him: until his schedule became a little less demanding, it was prudent to set aside his numerous investigations.
Of course, the fact that he temporarily shelved his research did not mean his daily timetable suddenly became entirely empty. However, it was true that he now had a couple of hours free each day, which he could dedicate to studying, brewing potions, or simply enjoying some leisure time with his friends. They, though surprised by his newfound availability, were equally delighted to spend a while in his company.
By the end of the week, Harry had relaxed sufficiently to even forget about the peculiar dream that had precipitated all his thoughts and actions over the past few days. Truly, the boy hadn't realised how much tension he had been carrying until he had allowed himself a slight respite. That was why, when a majestic-looking white owl descended upon him during breakfast on the seventh day after his dream, he regarded it with confusion, as it was entirely unknown to him.
He took the letter the bird offered him with a mixture of curiosity and even a little anticipation, allowing the regal creature to help itself to the toast on his plate while he broke the seal and checked the sender. When he saw the signature, he paled slightly.
"Harry,
I apologise for the delay in getting in touch with you, but circumstances became rather complicated, and I couldn't depart my country as swiftly as I would have liked.
I arrived in Britain yesterday and am currently residing at the Leaky Cauldron. I shall first need to report my arrival in the country to the British Ministry, so I won't be able to come to Hogwarts until tomorrow.
Despite having received news from me, do not, I repeat, do not tell anyone yet about our conversation. Understand that I shall only be able to protect your interests once I have publicly claimed you as my disciple. Trust me, once I am by your side, no one will take advantage of you or your power.
See you tomorrow, Ginna Piori"
Had he not yearned for confirmation about that dream? Well, there it was; it couldn't have been clearer. The following day, Ginna was indeed coming to Hogwarts to speak with the Headmaster and, quite possibly, his parents as well, though that was merely a conjecture. While the letter had dispelled several of his doubts, it had done nothing to assuage some of his fears regarding being exploited by others. She assured him she could protect his interests once she was by his side, but how could she be so certain? He sighed heavily; this was something he would simply have to wait until the next day to discover.
"Whose letter is it?" Athenea enquired.
"No… a friend's," he replied distractedly. "From a friend…"
The remainder of the day, he remained in a state of rather severe nervousness. Despite Ginna's instructions, he couldn't stop casting apprehensive glances towards the school gates and grounds, anticipating the arrival of the one who was to become his mentor.
If the others noticed his nervous state, no one commented on it; either they were accustomed to it, considering his packed schedule, or they blamed it on the OWLs. The point was, no one asked him the reason for his current agitation, for which he was grateful… especially when that night he found himself unable to fall asleep, a fact his roommates must surely have noticed. The result was that by the following morning, he was in a state of utter disarray.
For his part, and unknown to the teenager, while Harry was enduring his first classes in a state of permanent apprehension, the Hogwarts Headmaster discovered an unexpected surprise in his office. It transpired that upon returning from breakfast in the Great Hall, he found a middle-aged woman in his office, tenderly stroking Fawkes's feathers.
He knew that her unexpected visit could not harbour any malevolent intent, for Fawkes would never have permitted her touch otherwise. Yet, that did not diminish the fact that she had managed to enter his office without anyone's permission. It was for this reason that he observed her carefully for a few minutes; she was not unattractive, but neither was she strikingly beautiful… rather, she was ordinary-looking. She possessed dark brown hair, and her skin bore a healthy, quite natural tan.
"If you have studied me sufficiently, Headmaster Dumbledore, I should like to speak with you."
The old man started, taken aback at being discovered. Practically no one had ever managed to detect him when he wished to remain unseen. When he met her eyes, he discerned that she was not a woman easily intimidated; in fact, those brown depths sang of someone accustomed to the opposite. Her visit presented a mystery, one that promised to be rather amusing.
"Very well, if you would be so kind as to take a seat, we can converse," the Headmaster said, settling into his own chair.
"No, thank you, I prefer to stand," she replied.
"Very well, as you wish, Madam—"
"Piori."
"As in Ginna Piori, the Seer?" the man enquired, dumbfounded.
"The very same."
"To what do I owe the honour of your company, Madam Piori?"
The woman had no need to employ her gift to know what was traversing the old man's mind. At that moment, he would be wondering why a Seer of her importance had come to see him, considering she wasn't even from the country. And she also assumed that he would, at that very moment, be attempting to devise a way to manipulate her into offering her services concerning the war that had raged in Britain for more than twenty years. It would be rather entertaining to dismantle each of the manipulations the old man planned, both towards her person and those he was beginning to plot towards her future student.
"Tell me, Headmaster Dumbledore, why do you believe I am here? I should be interested to hear your opinion."
"Please… how could I possibly know your motives?"
"Do try. I'm certain you have some guesses, and I would like to hear them."
Ginna smiled; she had just given him the perfect opening to attempt his manipulation, allowing her to then shatter his assumptions.
"Well… I am probably mistaken, Madam, but could it be that you had received some form of insight regarding this war and wished to assist us?" the Headmaster asked, his eyes twinkling at what he believed would be a magnificent addition to his Order of the Phoenix.
"It could be, but that is not the case." The woman chuckled with satisfaction. "My intervention in this war would be against the stipulations of balance in which those of us who possess the gift to a greater degree believe. Besides, I am not mistaken if I say that you have a minor Seer at your disposal; that already signifies a clear imbalance on your side."
"Sybill's gift is far too vague."
"And yet, she possesses the gift. No, that is not the reason for my visit."
"Then? What is the reason for your visit, Madam Piori?" the man asked, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice at her refusal.
"Very simple. About a week ago, while employing my gift, I had a most interesting encounter," she chuckled. "I met a boy who possessed the gift to a far greater degree, completely inexperienced in its power… a student of this very school."
"What do you say? A senior Seer among my students!?"
"That is correct."
"Tell me, do you happen to know his name?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps, it was Potter?"
"Yes, the boy's surname is Potter," the woman said with an enigmatic smile.
At that, Dumbledore smiled with satisfaction. Brian was a Seer with an exceptional gift who would be of immense use in the war against Voldemort; even if Madam Piori refused to help, it would be very easy to persuade young Potter to meddle in the war and finally defeat the Dark Lord once and for all.
"If that is the case, I shall call Brian at once so you may speak with him. I shall also call his parents to…"
"Excuse me… did you say Brian?" the woman enquired, as if the notion were entirely foreign to her.
"Yes, quite. He's the boy you found, isn't he?" Dumbledore asked, a horrible feeling beginning to curdle within him.
"No, of course not," she answered. "I don't even know who this Brian is. No, the boy I've come to see and teach how to use his gift is Harry Potter."
Dumbledore began to curse mentally. Again, it was Harry who was the protagonist. He was starting to worry; Brian hadn't shown any special power that could classify him as the Chosen One, while his brother Harry… Perhaps it was simply that the younger of the brothers was taking things slowly, but the truth was that Dumbledore was beginning to doubt his ability regarding the war. He would have to have a discussion with Harry's parents, not only about Brian but also about Harry. He would have to convince them to encourage their eldest son to actively participate in the war using his gift… Though he was sure it wouldn't be difficult; he hadn't had the couple in his pocket for nothing.
"Very well, I shall send for Mr. Potter, and inform his parents in the meantime," the old man said, approaching the fireplace in his office and tossing in a pinch of Floo powder. "Pomona Sprout, Greenhouses!"
"Yes, Headmaster, how may I help you?"
"Would you be so kind as to fetch Mr. Potter and bring him to my office?"
"Very well, Headmaster, we shall be there in a few minutes."
The connection closed, and the old man threw some Floo powder again, shouting the destination aloud. He always enjoyed calling the Potter household; he was always treated with kindness and respect.
"Headmaster! What a surprise!" Lily exclaimed as soon as she saw him in the fireplace. "To what do I owe your call?"
"If you would be so kind as to come to my office, both James and yourself, I shall be very grateful."
"Is something wrong? Is Brian alright?"
"Do not worry, nothing is amiss; but I need you to come as something unexpected has arisen regarding Harry…"
"Harry? Ahh… then nothing's wrong. I'll try to get in touch with James, and then we'll head to Hogwarts."
"No," the old man cut in sharply. "I don't believe you understand, Lily, you must come now. It's important. I shall be waiting for you in fifteen minutes at the latest."
After that, he closed the connection and awaited the arrival of both parents, while an uncomfortable silence settled in his office, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. The old man didn't know how to restart the conversation after the earlier misunderstandings, and the woman clearly relished making the old Headmaster squirm.
In the end, the Potters arrived at approximately the same time as Harry and his Head of House, startling the poor boy when he saw them; he had not expected them to come. His parents, for their part, gave him a stern look, assuming he had landed himself in some significant trouble—one grand enough to warrant their summons. They were so preoccupied with glaring angrily that they didn't even notice when, despite the old man's obvious dismissal, Professor Sprout steadfastly refused to leave.
"No, Headmaster, I'm staying. I am not going to allow my student to remain here alone."
"Pomona, I must speak with Mr. Potter. Besides, his parents are here…"
"Yes, and the last time they came, all they wanted was for him to speak in favour of his brother so that we would withdraw a punishment he fully deserved. I'm staying."
The old man sighed in defeat. When it came to the eldest of the Potter brothers, he could never best his teachers. After requesting everyone's attention, he proceeded to explain the situation to all present.
It was clear that this revelation came as a surprise to those gathered, although Harry himself seemed to have prior knowledge of the events, which led the Headmaster to surmise that the Seer had warned him either during their initial vision or in a letter. This, in turn, implied that she must have informed him of certain stipulations regarding those who possessed the gift. If that were the case, it would prove exceedingly difficult to convince Harry to participate in the war with his power.
"That's fantastic!" Lily Potter exclaimed, her face beaming. "If Harry has the gift, he can tell us when Voldemort will attack again, and we can counter him! We can finally win! We'll just have to wait for Brian to grow up enough to use his power and eliminate that atrocity!"
"That will not be possible," Ginna cut in, her voice firm. "Harry won't do any of those things."
"You have no right to say what my son will or will not do!" James exclaimed, his face reddening.
"You are mistaken, Mr. Potter," she countered, her gaze unwavering. "I have every right… since I have decided to teach him everything he needs to know about his gift, any decision concerning it must have my consent. And as there is a decree from the Council of Seers that forbids the participation of a holder of the greater gift in any war, I will not permit it."
After such a comment, Harry could finally understand why the one who was now his mentor was so utterly convinced that she could prevent his parents from exploiting him.