Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters.
Warnings: (eventual) slash HP/DM, femslash, het, child abuse, graphic battle scenes, character deaths (though none too er, significant).
Summary: PostHBP. The wizarding world is going to war and Harry is determined to lead one side to victory. Independent!Leader!Powerful!Harry in training.
Acts of War.
Prologue; the white curtain
(D)
It's a nice day for a white wedding. – Billy Idol
(D)
Harry stared out at the crowd of people gathered on the Weasleys' front lawn. Most of them he knew and those he didn't he wasn't sure he'd be all too interested in.
Bill and Fleur were the center of attention, standing side by side in front an arch decorated with pink and yellow carnations. Fleur played the part of the beautiful veela with her long blond hair loose and a silver-white gown on. Her husband-to-be smiled happily at her side, flinching when it pulled at his wounds.
Harry felt stomach drop as he thought of the events from the end of the school year.
He stiffened as Ginny, dressed in a lacy blue dress, leaned back against him. His hands shook with nervousness.
"Now you are bonded, Weasleys." The pair turned to each other, grasping hands and kissing chastely. Harry heard Hermione comment from across the way, "Marriage was an invention of the Wizarding community, you know."
The look on Ron's face clearly said, 'No, I don't know and neither do I want to."
Harry snickered as Celestina Warback's voice filled the air. "May I have this dance, Lord Potter?" Ginny asked.
He paused, his amusement fading quickly. "Um, alright." He replied, placing his hands on Ginny's waist and trying not to look at her. As they moved across the lawn to the music, Ginny spoke again, "What wrong with you, Harry?
"You've been acting strange since I asked you to take me here." Exactly, that's the point. He cleared his throat distractedly, returning his focus to the young redhead in front of him. "Ginny…" Harry began. Oh God, someone was going to kill him.
"No, don't Ginny me." Her eyes narrowed. "I don't care about impending danger or any of that. I'm staying at your side. This is my decision, so no more of this protection rubbish."
His mouth felt dry. "I-If it had been that I would not have agreed to come with you here in the first place." Stay calm.
"Then, what is it? Voldemort?" Ginny inquired, frowning.
"I – no. It's you. I don't want…to be your boyfriend anymore." Her brown eyes widened. "Did my brothers threaten you? Because I told them – I told them, Harry. And they even agreed you were best for me, I thought."
Harry closed his eyes. "It is not your brothers or danger or Voldemort. It is you. I cannot and will not be in a relationship with you because I don't want to. I don't want you." Silence. He opened his eyes, feeling his stomach flop with guilt and Ginny's fingers slipping from his shoulders.
"Wh-what?" Her lower lip trembled. "You can't! I've waited seven years to have you. H-how? We're friends. We're perfect for each other, don't you see?" She pleaded. "How can this be happening?" Ginny whispered, "We're supposed to get married and have a house and children. I've been dreaming of it since I first heard your name. How could you do this to me?" Tears spilled down her cheeks.
Harry stepped back. He couldn't deal with this at the moment; he couldn't help it if he just wasn't in love with her.
"Hey, Harry!" Ron came running over, the grin falling from his mouth as he noticed his crying sister. "Gin?" She pulled back as he reached out for her cautiously and sped away. He looked back at Harry who had his face in his hands. "Harry, mate, what happened?"
The orphan lifted his head up and blinked, "Fuck, Ron. I couldn't do that anymore. Pretend to fancy her, I mean. The whole thing was too much and – it only stemmed from your encouragement. She's – I'm not in love with her. I'm just not."
His best friend took a long moment before he nodded slowly. "I, uh, it'll take me awhile to get used to but I understand. You guys are nearly incestuous. It doesn't matter that she's my sister because, you know, I sort of realized she's something like…your sister, too. But I thought.." He sighed. "I'll support you no matter what, okay? Even if you're in love with Bellatrix Lestrange or McGonagall or something weird like that."
Harry laughed a nervous laugh. He could always trust Ron to behave like Ron, lightening up the mood and staying loyal. "Thanks. Thanks a lot, Ron."
(D)
"Hey Fred, George." Harry offered each of them a weak smile.
The twins turned, recognizing their names and gave Harry a full-blown grin. "Hey, Harry, we just got finished talking to Ickle Ronnikins here.."
"Who's told us all about this.."
"Whole deal with Ginny.."
"And we'd just like to say.."
There was a pause here, and Harry thanked Merlin so he could over their words in his head and try to dissect them. He was just nearly fluent in Twinspeak.
Fred and George hollered out in loud voices. "WE KNEW IT!" Then, they gave him a few pats on the back. "Y-you did?" Harry asked, astonished.
"Harry, mate, if there were anyone less interested in the female species.." Fred said, cuing a long whistle from George. In the background Ron seemed to be nodding slowly. "Yeah, I sort of figured that, too. But you know…it just looked.."
The three Weasley children all let out a breath of air. "Kind of glad, really." Ron finally added in a small voice.
"What?" The-boy-who-lived replied, raising a brow.
"Well, if you're not really into girls, I don't have to worry about 'Mione, you know, fancying you and having hope…" His face turned pink. "I dunno." Harry laughed. "I don't think you have to worry about that."
"Of course not." A female voice cut in. They looked over at Hermione in wonder. "That would be like dating a sibling, which I'm pretty sure neither Harry or I are very interested in." She gave Ron a pointed look before turning to embrace Harry. "I'm proud of you for facing up to that. She would have strung along forever if you hadn't let that out." The younger boy scratched the back of his head as she continued on her way.
The twins left shortly after, snickering at Ron.
"I can't exactly question what with my tragic endings in the relationship department, either." Ron put in sheepishly. "How are you, anyhow?" The food in Harry's digestive system relaxed. He looked out at the green lawn.
"I don't know. I'm really just so confused, wondering where we can go from here. I have so many suspicions about all of this. But I know I need to do something soon. I'm likely going to be some sort of leader in the world – best get started."
Ron's face tensed. "I know. 'Mione and I'll be behind you all the way. I just can't believe it's a – a war." He turned to Harry with moving eyes. "I don't want you to die, mate." He winced. "I mean – I don't think you are but –"
Harry placed a shaky hand on his shoulder. "I might. There was a prophecy. Trelawney, she made a true prophecy." He took a deep breath and stared at his feet. "That's why Voldemort went after the Potters in the first place. He was after me. The prophecy said I had the power the Dark Lord knows not and that one of us had to eventually kill the other. I'm the only one that can kill him."
A long silence followed. When Harry finally looked up the redhead spoke. "I reckon we'll need a lot of help." Relief washed over him. No big deal.
"Well, I'm going to have to ally with whomever I can. We need to know people in the right places, even the ministry." Ron nodded. "Who did you have in mind?"
"The order, of course. Kingsley, Tonks and uh, hopefully Percy. But we're also going to need as many people as we can afford. And people who know Voldemort well. I know many of you may not like that – but that's the deal. No prejudices in this war." Seeing a thoughtful and accepting look on his best friend's face he continued. "Now, I have my suspicions about Snape and Malfoy."
Ron blinked, "What?"
Harry sighed. "I'm pretty sure Snape was following Dumbledore's orders when he cast the killing curse. Dumbledore was dying, anyway. Since the beginning of the year. He just needed to fit the horcruxes and all of that in before his death. It's all because he was a bit of a – a manipulative bastard. I love the man, even in death but…I won't be anyone's pawn in this war. Dumbledore made too many mistakes for my liking. He couldn't see shades of grey. We're going to need Snape. And Malfoy, if he's decided to follow in Snape's footsteps. Trust me when I say Malfoy is not a killer."
Ron seemed frozen for a moment before he pulled Harry into a hug. "I don't care about being manly right now. My best mate's going to lead us through hell." Harry laughed into his shoulder.
"But we'll have to search and train hard. It won't be easy."
The youngest Weasley boy smiled grimly. "But it'll save our lives." His eyes flickered to Hermione.
Harry snorted. "And hopefully you and Hermione will jump each other already." Ron shoved him in the side. "Shut up."
The black-haired boy looked from one best friend to the other and sucked air in through his nose. He was ready to dive into the first act of war.
(D)
Author's Notes: I've been meaning to write this for so so so long. It's something I'll be co-writing with doowop and hopefully we'll manage to complete all 50 or so chapters we've planned out. Please do stick along for the ride.
