A/N: Okay, so I decided to write another Harry Potter story, having been inspired by HBP. It made me cry and I just had to write another story. So, I don't own Harry Potter. But consider yourselves warned: I'M BACK!
Title: Support Me
Author: Lia06
The pairings: OW/KB, RW/HG, HP/GW, RL/NT, AM/MM
Quick Plot Summary: Albus Dumbledore may be dead but the Order of the Phoenix lives to fight another day under the combined leadership of Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, and Mad-Eye Moody. Post Half-Blood Prince
Oliver Wood followed Fred and George Weasley into the Burrow. They had told him that if he wanted to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, this was the place to be. Professor McGonagall, the new Headmistress of Hogwarts, would be here tonight along with Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Katie Bell, and the Weasley family. He hadn't seen Katie or Hermione since leaving Hogwarts. He'd seen Harry and the Weasleys at the Quidditch World Cup three summers ago. He vaguely remembered Lupin as the DADA teacher his last year at Hogwarts and he'd heard the Moody replaced Lupin the next year. But who in the blazes was Nymphadora Tonks?
"We're in the living room," someone called.
"You go in, Ollie," Fred told him. "We have to run upstairs and check on something."
Oliver walked into the living room and saw Professor McGonagall sitting on the couch talking to a woman with magenta hair. The magenta-haired woman was leaning her head against Remus Lupin's shoulder with a vague smile. Oliver shifted from foot to foot uneasily until Harry Potter came into the room followed closely by a beautiful redhead and a gorgeous young woman with light brown hair. "Hey, Wood," Harry said. "How've you been?"
"I've been good," Oliver answered quickly. "And you?"
Harry shrugged uncomfortably. "Surviving, I guess."
The redhead stroked Harry's shoulder but didn't say anything. The brunette shook her head sadly and sighed. Harry took the redhead's hand in his and squeezed it. She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment and Oliver thought he saw a smile flit across Harry's face for a brief moment.
"Miss Bell, come here," Professor McGonagall said. What McGonagall did when the brunette reached her shocked Oliver; McGonagall was not known for her emotional displays of affection but rather for her stoicism. So when Oliver saw McGonagall hug Katie Bell, he thought he had to be hallucinating. But the stoic Headmistress did indeed hug the brunette and squeeze her shoulder. "It's going to be all right," Oliver thought he heard McGonagall say.
"Ginny, Harry, Oliver, come in," Lupin invited. "The others will be here shortly."
"Wood, do you know everyone here?" McGonagall asked.
"I'm not sure," he replied hesitantly.
"I'm Tonks," the magenta-haired woman told him. "My first name is Nymphadora, but I'll thank you to forget that as quickly as I told you."
"Okay," he said mildly confused as by her name as well as her tough demeanor.
"Katie Bell," the brunette told him.
"Of course," Oliver said quickly. "How could I forget my favorite chaser?"
"Especially after what happened in the showers after Gryfinndor won the House Cup Oliver's last year," Harry said slyly.
"And what was that?" Professor McGonagall asked slyly.
"Just some innocent snogging," Katie said quickly and Oliver smiled remembering those pleasurable minutes he and Katie had enjoyed in the showers before the Weasley twins had interfered.
"I'm sure," McGonagall said with her eyebrows raised.
"And this is Ginny Weasley," Harry said quickly motioning to the redhead.
"You're the twins' younger sister?" Oliver asked.
"Exactly," she replied.
"Do you play Quidditch?"
"I'm a chaser for the house team," Ginny said shyly.
"She's one of the best chasers I've ever seen," Harry added.
"She's better than I am," Katie said.
"That's a lie," Ginny protested.
"You're both exceptionally good," Harry put in. "But Ginny is also an excellent seeker as well."
"Harry had detention the day of the Quidditch finals and Ginny had to sub for him," Katie explained. "So we had two chasers and Ginny played seeker; we won."
Oliver smiled proudly and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "That's my boy."
Harry smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Oliver realized that Dumbledore had been killed a few weeks after that Quidditch match and it would be best to leave the subject alone for the time being. Harry slumped onto the couch next to Katie; Ginny joined him shortly.
"Oliver, please do sit down," Lupin requested and Oliver complied. "So, what have you been up to since you left Hogwarts?"
"Playing keeper for Puddlemere United," he replied.
"What brings you to us?" Tonks asked.
"After Dumbledore died, I wanted to do something about it. Dumbledore did so much for me when I was a student and he was proud of me when I started playing for Puddlemere. I guess I mainly just want to avenge his death."
"So do we all," McGonagall said softly. "But the most important thing is defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
"It's the only thing Harry cares about anymore," Ginny commented sadly. "He has no time for anything else."
Katie smiled at Ginny. "Just let him take care of his business and then he'll have free time again."
"I hope you're right," Ginny replied warningly.
Oliver looked at Lupin. "What's going on?"
"Harry was dating Ginny, but after Snape murdered Dumbledore, Harry told Ginny that they could be friends, but not in a serious relationship until he finishes his business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
"And I think it's a stupid idea," Ginny muttered. "I know he doesn't want distractions, but what about support? He's bound to need some moral support."
Oliver looked at Katie who looked at McGonagall who looked at Lupin who looked at Tonks who looked at Harry who looked at Oliver. "What?" he asked.
"What about support during a difficult situation?" Ginny asked. "Doesn't Harry deserve that?"
"Lupin and Tonks have each other," Katie pointed out. "And they're managing to make it work even with the war."
"Exactly," Ginny said. "My parents have each other; Ron and Hermione have each other. People need each other for moral support during situations like this."
"I had a very intense relationship during the war against Grindewald," McGonagall commented. "And I found the support of my partner very helpful especially during the darkest moments of the war."
"With whom?" Ginny asked eagerly.
"I'm not telling," the headmistress replied.
"I'll bet it was someone wild and exotic," Katie speculated as Ron, Fred, and George came in along with Mad-Eye Moody.
"Who was wild and exotic?" Fred asked.
"Whoever Professor McGonagall had an intense relationship with during the war against Grindewald," Ginny replied. "But she won't tell us who it was."
"Moody," Katie asked. "Do you know who it was?"
Alastor Moody smiled as he sat down in an old chair near Professor McGonagall. "Indeed I do."
"Oh tell us," Ginny begged. "Please tell us."
"Come on," Ron said. "You can trust us."
"It's not my secret to trust you with," Moody said. "And besides the Order meeting is starting soon."
"Oh rats," Ron sighed. "I really wanted to know."
"Someday," Moody told him.
The Order meeting was efficient, long but efficient. McGonagall, Lupin, and Moody were running the meeting together. Bill Weasley and his new wife, Fleur, were sitting together on a loveseat being disgustingly in love. Tonks, Lupin, McGonagall, Moody, the Weasleys, Katie, Harry, Hermione, and the others in the room were all business but Fleur was staring at Bill like he was the center of the universe. Oliver wasn't sure she was even paying attention to what Moody was saying about the Death Eaters going after the ones who are closest to members of the Order. His real eye was fixed on Lupin and Tonks as he said that, but his magical eye was glued on Bill and Fleur. It was obvious Fleur hadn't noticed this because it was a well-known fact that she was terrified of Moody's eye.
Oliver was amazed at the proceedings. These people were so serious about the war. They were actually making progress and helping people. They weren't like the Ministry, saying one thing when really nothing was happening; instead, they were fighting Death Eaters and listening to each other's theories and ideas. Harry was making positive contributions that people were listening to; he wasn't just being used as a poster boy to raise moral. Did these people always work this well together?
The answer, obviously, was no. There was still a lot of blame being tossed around about Snape and people lost their patience with each other all the time. But they tried to get along with the others, if only to honor Albus Dumbledore's memory. Oliver suspected that Dumbledore had been McGonagall's mysterious lover and that was why she was so determined to win this war, to avenge the death of the man she loved.
After the meeting, most of the members of the Order stayed for dinner. Oliver was shocked to see Tonks, Ginny, Katie, and McGonagall head into the kitchen to help Mrs. Weasley. "No Hermione or Fleur," he commented to Harry.
Harry laughed. "Fleur is banned from the kitchen due to miscellaneous events of last summer and Hermione doesn't like to cook."
"Cooking is the one thing Hermione is not a genius at," Fred added.
"I never knew it was humanely possible to burn mashed potatoes," George said. "But there they were last Saturday, nice and crispy."
"It was terrible," Lupin concluded. "It was like eating powdery charcoal."
"And we had to eat it and be polite," Harry said. "Ron forced us."
"He paid us pretty well though," Fred pointed out.
"You're obsessed with money," Harry told him.
Fred shrugged. "That's beside the point."
Lupin looked at Oliver. "So, how's professional Quidditch treating you these days?"
Oliver shrugged. "It's fun, the pay is good, but the fan girls are annoying, but it's worth it. I love playing."
"And having all those girls chasing after you can't be too bad," Fred remarked casually.
"Yeah, but you know that at Hogwarts there was only one girl for Oliver's eyes," George told his twin.
"Ah, yes, Miss Katie Bell," Fred recalled. "The apple of our keeper's adoring eye."
"I think he wanted to marry her," George put in.
Harry laughed as Oliver bit his lip and stared at the toes of his black dragon skin shoes. Then he looked up and said, "So, Professor Lupin, what have you been up to since you left Hogwarts?"
"Order business," was all the gray haired man would say. "First Dumbledore's orders and now McGonagall's orders."
"Now, you'll get much more information if you ask him who he's been doing since he left Hogwarts rather than what he's been doing," Fred announced.
"Oh bugger off," Lupin said. "And grow up."
Fred laughed. "Or maybe he won't say anything about who he's been doing."
"I know who he's with," George said in a mischievous tone.
"George, I think it is quite obvious who Lupin is with," Harry said pointedly. "And I wish you two would stop acting like a pair of old women gossiping about other people's relationships when you two have your own problems to do with in that department."
"After all, Fred, you aren't exactly on speaking terms with Angelina these days because of a little tiff you two had a few weeks ago," Ron mentioned.
"And George," Lupin added. "Alicia doesn't seem to like you very much these days, not after you left her without any eyebrows."
The twins both quickly developed cowed looks and quietly exited the room. Oliver turned to Harry. "The twins were dating Alicia and Angelina?"
"Pretty seriously and for a long time," Harry replied.
"What happened?"
Lupin laughed and Harry raised his eyebrows. Lupin explained, "Alicia was in the twins' shop a few weeks ago when George blew something up near her face and she lost her eyebrows. She hasn't spoken to him since then."
"He's depressed," Harry added. "But not so you'd notice. He's pretending things are all good and jolly."
"What about Fred and Angie?" Oliver asked.
"They had a fight," Ron said. "She wants to get married and he doesn't feel that he is ready. So they had this huge fight-in front of Mum-and they haven't spoken since."
"Well, Fred keeps trying to contact Angelina, but she's just ignoring him," Harry added.
"It's quite exciting to watch," Ron added. "Keeps those of us who actually have our love lives under control quote entertained."
"Who are you dating?" Oliver asked.
Ron blushed as red as his hair and started examining his shoes. "Hermione," Harry answered for Ron.
Oliver smiled. "That's cool."
"Yep, and Harry's after my sister," Ron replied.
"I'm not after your sister," Harry said. "We're just friends right now. It's too dangerous for me to date what with Dumbledore being after me. You saw what he did to Dumbledore and Sirius because of me."
"Harry, Bellatrix killed Sirius because she views him as a traitor to the family," Lupin said, trying desperately to reason with the Boy Who Lived.
"And because he was my godfather and the closets thing I ever had to a family," Harry raged. "And Dumbledore, you know what Snape killed him! He killed him because he was protecting me."
"Dumbledore died because he believed that your life was more valuable than his in the fight against Voldemort," Lupin replied. "He was willing to die for you."
"But still, he was killed because he was close to me," Harry protested. "Lupin, you know as well as I do that Dumbledore was like a grandfather or something to me. He was killed because Voldemort knew that Dumbledore's death would infuriate me! I'm not going to put Ginny in danger like that. I love her too much to do anything like that to her; I don't want to put her in danger."
Oliver looked at Harry; he seemed too old to be not quite seventeen. He had lost his parents, his godfather, and the closest thing he had to a grandfather. His only family treated him like yesterday's garbage. He was at war with the most powerful Dark Wizard ever. Harry Potter hadn't had a normal childhood and he would never have a normal life. At least to Oliver, it was quite obvious that Harry needed Ginny to give him something normal, some sort of grounding in his life.
A voice interrupted Oliver's thoughts saying, "Harry, Albus died willingly and he would hate it if he knew that you were shutting out someone who loved you. Albus always said that our most important weapon against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was that fact that we could love and he couldn't." Oliver looked up to see Professor McGonagall in the doorway.
"But love makes us vulnerable," Harry replied.
"Remus, would you take this one? You're so much better suited to this topic than I am."
"Okay, love makes us vulnerable; that's true," Lupin said. "But it also protects us and sustains us through our darkest hour. Harry, sixteen years ago, a power greater than life or death saved your life."
"My mother's love," Harry whispered. "She died so I could live."
"She died so you could live to fight another day," Lupin told him. "And Sirius did the same thing. Cedric Diggory did it. Dumbledore did it. Your mother loved you more than anyone else could ever love you. Sirius was your godfather; he died because he deemed your life to be more important than his. Dumbledore, well, I think we've covered that numerous times, but in case you missed the boat, he died so you could live to kill Voldemort. They didn't die so you could live to die another day; they died so you could live a full life filled with joy and love."
"Albus, Lily, James, Sirius, and Cedric would want you to be happy, Harry," McGonagall said. "They wouldn't want you to become this great fighting machine; they wanted you to kill Voldemort, but they also wanted you to live. You are the Boy Who Lived."
"Harry, I hope this doesn't sound as depressingly corny as it does in my head," Lupin said. "But embrace your destiny; become who you were born to be."
"Oh, that was corny," the Boy Who Lived told his friend. "But I get the point."
A/N: Okay, so review, please! I haven't written anything Harry Potter in months, so it probably sucks, but let me know what you think. And when inspired both by my muses and my reviewers, I'll give you more.