Hey everyone,
From here, we're going to cover Ron after he has cast the Fidelius – sorry, I can't exactly think of a way to have Ron cast it, so I will just skip that, have the twins realize what Harry meant with his whispered message just before he left and do the seven of them work together to remain unnoticed as they get the spell to full strength.
Now I want to make a few things clear when it comes to this story. There is going to be one thing that really isn't done often that will be part of this story and that is this: the Weasleys will NOT blindly follow Dumbledore, they will oppose him and will fight his beliefs, especially when it comes to the prophesy.
Also, this will probably not be a very long story as I plan to have Voldemort destroyed BEFORE Christmas. And I am also going to do something else that I have NEVER done before: have Umbridge kill Voldemort. How and why? You will have to wait until sometime later into the story to find out, sorry.
Not sorry,
Venquine1990
Shout-Out To:
V.L. Crawford
Tyler'sPrincess
Shinigami
And The Guest Who left the lovely long review (no, not meant sarcastically, I genuinely appreciated it).
Chapter 02
The First Week
Boys Dorm, Hogwarts
11th of October 1995
Ron's POV
Waking up to a trunk sitting at the foot of a perfectly tidy, unslept bed is really not a nice way to wake up, but sensing the magic that has been coursing through me, through my heart and mind, ever since last night when I went through the steps described in the book Harry left me before he left, makes me feel better about it all.
"He's safe. The Order might not be able to keep him safe, but my team and I can." And while part of me wonders if the Order has come together about Harry not having slept in his dorm last night, a thought that makes me shudder as it means that they are guarding him even in the dorm, do I get out of bed and get changed.
"Where is he?" I hear Seamus ask after I exit the bathroom, but while part of me wants to answer, do I just shrug and retort: "Why do you care? I thought you believed him a loon, Finnegan." And just like every other time the last few weeks does the Irish lad glare at me as I leave the dorm room for the common room downstairs.
Yet there I am tested once more as Hermione rushes at me and says: "Ron! RON! The Fat Lady! She just told me! She told me that Harry didn't pass through her last night. That he didn't come back from practice! Where is he? Do you know? I saw you guys leave the pitch, but you and the twins and the girls came in much later."
I grimace at her and say: "We came in later, Hermione, because we decided to get some chocolate from the kitchens. You know, to compensate for the bad crap that Umbridge is putting us through and whatnot. And as for Harry, doesn't he have his cloak?" And with that do I just leave the girl gaping behind me, feeling proud of myself.
I leave for the Great Hall and there I instantly get evidence of what I was thinking about earlier, something that makes me grimace and growl from the back of my throat. The seats of Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall, three teachers that are almost always in the Great Hall before the students, are now empty.
I then notice that Umbridge is looking between the three and the doors and when she spots me, do I make sure to sport a look of concerned confusion, making it look as if I have no idea why these three seats are vacant as I take a seat at the Gryffindor Table. Yet I also make sure to sit with my back to the woman and drop this visage.
Hermione wants to come sit opposite of me, but I shake my head ever so slightly and motion for the seat beside me. She changes to the other side of the table at the last moment, but I turn my face a little and see that Umbridge has gone back to looking at the vacant seats. Hermione comes to sit beside me and I whisper at her:
"Dumbledore and the others are in a meeting – and I know what it's about. They know, Hermione. They know that Harry wasn't in the dorm last night." The girl frowns at me and I mutter: "Do you know any spells to check for presences? We should learn it. You'll find that, when you least expect it, there are more people in a room than there should be."
"But why is it such a problem that they know he wasn't in the dorm?""Because neither Seamus, Dean, Neville, Harry or I ever gave them permission to come in there. And don't give me that they just want to protect Harry bull, Hermione. Umbridge is the dangerous one and even she wouldn't dare harm Harry in his own dorm.
They know that the most dangerous thing in there is Seamus thinking Harry a loon and still they go in there every night to protect him. What do you call that, Hermione, cause I call it spying." The girl grimaces and asks: "What happened, Ron? Since when are you against the Order?" And I angrily growl back at her:
"Since they broke our rights to privacy. And you can't tell me you'll just accept it if you suddenly find out that Tonks has been inside the girls dorm all this time so don't try it." The girl looks away here and this gives me a chance to look at Alicia. The girl nods and I smile at her, happy that our little routine is flowing so smoothly.
Last night, after I cast the spell, did the twins, Katie and I all pull out our schedules and we used the Map to plan out routes where, without anyone noticing one of us could pass on the Fidelius charm to the next. Of course Lee, the twins, Alicia and Angelina all being in the same year also helped and we hope to do Lee tonight or tomorrow.
The tanned lad with the braided hair promised me that he would ask Katie the next morning if she'd be his girlfriend as this would give her an excuse to come into his dorm with him, where they would be able to make him the next Secret Keeper and that he would, under a secrecy charm, wait for me at my dorm room door the morning after.
Yet as the twins looked at the Map after we thought out all these ideas and routes, did their eyes widen and they growled: "Those filthy bastards.""That just goes too far.""That's more than invasion of privacy.""That's breaking and entering." We had looked at them and they asked me one question: "How does this Map not show Tonks?"
It had been the realization that someone had cursed the Map to hide the Order from sight that had almost made me walk into the dorm looking white with shock and horror. But luckily enough the twins had caught me before anyone could see me and we had taken some chocolate to make sure no one would get suspicious.
And as I turn back to Hermione, do I see that she is on board, not entirely as she has always had an almost sick level of trust in adults, even with bastards like Umbridge and Snape around, but she has definitely lost some level of the devotion she feels for the Order and is a little more on Harry's side in all this now.
I smile at her, knowing I need to comfort and support her now that Harry will be out of the picture for an undisclosed amount of time – or at least until Dumbledore stops using his Order as spies on students that actually need him to protect them – and just go onto what I know everyone is expecting of me, to gorge down my breakfast.
And yet, at the end of breakfast, do I suddenly notice that the three empty seats are now filled and Dumbledore stands up just before the first students leave for their class as he says: "Sorry to disturb you all, but would the Weasley siblings, Mr. Longbottom, the Gryffindor Chasers and Mss. Granger please head to my office?
I am afraid that there is some information that they might have for me that is imperative to both myself and Professor McGonagall and Snape for various reasons. We will let you all know more once they have spoken with us. Please know that first classes of the day have been cancelled and stay here until our conversation is over."
This causes a mix of shock and delight and most of the Ravens pull out potential homework that they want to work on more, while the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors join together, a lot of the Lions turning to those mentioned, but I just motion with my head and lead the group mentioned out of the Great Hall, trying not to smirk.
This because, as stupid and amazing as it sounds at the same time, Dumbledore will actually have six of the seven planned Secret Keepers in his office, but even without him being there, do I know that Lee won't betray his role in all this and I also know that none of my team mates are going to say a thing, no matter what.
We reach the gargoyle, that moves aside before either Hermione or I can give the password and we get onto the moving staircase that leads up to the small tower that houses Dumbledore's office. And just as we all get on, does Neville open his mouth and ask: "Why are we being called anyway?" And the twins answer him, one at a time.
"Now Neville.""You disappoint us, mate.""Haven't you noticed.""That our lovely little trio.""Is missing a member?" To which Neville instantly asks: "Where is Harry?" And I make sure to open the door to the office just as he asks this, having knocked as the twins talked and we walk in, just as Dumbledore speaks up:
"Now that is a question that we had hoped you would have an answer to, Mr. Longbottom." The shy boy, who has been coming out of his shell more and more this last month, shrugs at the man and says: "Sorry sir, we didn't see him come in with the others of the team last night and his bed was left unslept when I woke up this morning."
I myself shrug and McGonagall asks: "Is there something you want to share with us, Mr. Weasley?" And while it takes a lot out of me not to growl or glare at her as I think: "You have no right to sound so accusing, witch." Do I answer: "To be honest, I was just thinking that this really isn't all that surprising, is all.
Harry, whenever people don't want to care for their hero, has always been able to blend in with the rest of us just fine, so that he is able to hide so well that no one knows where he is just doesn't surprise me. And seeing as how Umbridge just keeps growing in power, regardless of what a nightmare she is. Like I said, not surprising."
"And you think Potter can keep doing this? Keep himself hidden, that is?" Snape sneers and I make sure to look Dumbledore right in the eye as I say: "Of course. He has his trusted map and cloak, after all." And I add just the very slightest of emphasis on the word map as I say this, the man's eyes twitching to prove he picked up on it.
"What about the rest of you?" McGonagall asks and Angelina shrugs as she says: "To be brutally honest, Professor. I'm envious. Harry might be Umbridge's main target right now, but the fact that he can hide like this. If that means he can finally escape her radar and tyranny and the crap she pulls on him, all the better.
I do wish I could follow him, but – that's a skill that is all Harry." I smile at the girl, knowing that she must have a ton of trouble saying this as Harry being gone does greatly decrease our chances at winning the Cup and she has been putting Harry through a lot of trouble herself over this. And the girl proves she knows this too.
She sighs and says: "To be honest, I feel kind of guilty. Harry is Umbridge's target and she has it out for him, but – every time she got a chance to make his life more miserable, I could only think of my role as Captain and my chances of winning the Cup and made things even harder for him. I even humiliated him that one time."
"What time, Mss. Johnson?" McGonagall actually has the gall to ask, even though I know exactly what the girl is talking about and she knows it too. She glares at the woman and snaps: "The time when we blamed him for his detentions, when we both know what kind of piece of work Umbridge was, Professor. That time."
The woman frowns at her, but Angelina doesn't back down, just glaring back at her, daring the woman to contradict or argue with her. "Potter should know when –." Snape tries, but Katie snorts and says: "You have no leg to stand on when it comes to that, Professor. You can't contain yourself when it comes to him either, after all."
The man glares at her, but she just shrugs and looks away, not out of fear but out of disinterest. Dumbledore sighs and asks: "So none of you know where Mr. Potter is at this point?" We shake our heads and I say: "And unless he gives us the Map, we won't be able to help you either." Which I know is a bold-faced lie.
Yet the fact that the Map has already been messed with by this man and his Order makes it so that I don't even care for this fact or for the fact that I am basically making myself guilty of what Umbridge constantly forces Harry to write about and carve into his hand. But if anything, these thoughts just strengthen my resolve.
"If they're not willing to protect him from that toad and her horrible ways, even though they know just fine about what she's doing, then I will." I think as Dumbledore dismisses us and implores us to let him know once Harry contacts us. But while I wonder if Harry might use Dobby for that, do I know I won't do as he asks.
And as I walk down, Hermione and Neville muttering in concern with each other and the twins having their heads together as they walk, do I only need to look at how neither of their mouths are moving and how the girls are looking at each of us with a protective, caring look on their faces, do I know that these five think the same.
Several days later
14th of October 1995
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Over the last week I have sensed it more and more, both when I contributed to it myself and when my team of seven worked together to get it done. The Fidelius grew stronger and stronger and it felt as if a bit of my heart and mind were linked together with a form of magic that felt as if it was strengthened by the trust we feel for each other.
I also feel as if I can feel their need to keep Harry safe a little more every time the Fidelius gets strengthened as well as just how determined they are to see this through. And last night, when Katie and Lee went up to their dorm – again – did I feel it. A link between my heart and mind and that of the others that felt infinitely powerful.
I felt as if I was but one pin in a symbol that represented the infinity symbol, three pins on the left, three on the right and one in the very center. I knew, and by glancing at George who was playing Chess with me did I see that he knew it too, that the spell was at full power, that it was at the point where it could not break.
We waited until everyone had gone to bed, we ourselves having done the same to make sure no one would spot us staying up late as tension was running higher and higher the longer Harry stayed missing and waited until everyone was fast asleep before meeting in the twins dorm room as it was just them and Lee.
"Okay, the spell is at full power. According to the book we read, one of us could be tortured, raped, maimed and every fun thing else that Voldie might try to break us, it won't work. From now on, because there was never a bond of trust between us and him or a bond of anything else positive, Harry is 100% safe from him."
Lee had been the one to open the conversation with this and while some of us felt a little uncomfortable with how he was calling this horrible dark wizard, did we only grimace before nodding and I ask: "So, do we tell them?" But the twins had proven to be the geniuses that neither Hermione or mum ever saw them for.
"Only a bit. You tell them, Ron. You tell them that you're Secret Keeper and that you picked – whoever of us you want – as a Secondary Secret Keeper and that you told that person how we should make a circle of seven, but then with each of us picking one person we know we can trust with this secretive task."
"Make them guess. Make them wonder who else of us was picked. They'll go on a wild goose hunt and question everyone and anyone. And if we get picked? It's not the first time we lied about whether or not we were responsible for something. And finally giving old toadie a reason to call us liars? All the better for it."
"And make sure you do it tomorrow, at breakfast. Take the Map with you, take the cloak that Harry had Dobby put back in his trunk with you. Prove that Harry is gone and that they've been tricked. Let them feel the way Harry felt when he realized Tonks was there." The twins had each said their part, but then Katie said:
"That reminds me. Has anyone even seen that Auror since?" But while the seven of us actually practices the Homenum Revelio spell, which helps us learn if there are more presences in a room than we can see, did we only cast it when we were in a room where we were supposed to be private as of last Thursday.
And so far I have only caught a presence last night, one that actually left the room before I could reveal him or her to Neville, Dean and Seamus and I report this to them before I say: "And going by the sound of the footsteps, it definitely wasn't her. It was probably either Kingsley Shacklebolt, also an Auror, or Lupin."
The group, outside my brothers, look at me shocked and Lee asks: "Wait, Lupin? As in, one of the last links Harry has left to his parents Lupin? As in the man who taught Harry the Patronus Lupin?" And the twins growled: "As in, probably the one who cursed the Map Lupin." I had nodded at this and stated: "Yeah, that Lupin."
"He's siding with Dumbledore? Over this? Over Harry, getting hurt, by someone who has been making his life just as miserable? Shouldn't he have even more reason than the Aurors to want to keep Harry away from her?" Angelina asks and I answer: "Dumbledore allowed him to come to Hogwarts as a teen, after he was bitten."
And the way I say this silences them, their looks proving that they understand what I'm not saying. "Lupin is more loyal to Dumbledore over that chance than to Harry for being his best friends' son." And I can tell that this has just made all three of them – the twins not included as they were already aware, even more determined.
I now see that all six of them are in the Great Hall, showing of the usual uncaring, unconcerned looks that we have all been sporting the last few days, that we tell others is because we're glad that Harry is staying out of trouble for the moment, a statement I know rubs McGonagall the wrong way every time we say it in her presence.
"It's as if she doesn't want him to stay out of trouble, even though she constantly tells him to. Hypocrite." I think to myself and I quickly scan the Head Table, spotting all of the teachers I want present seated there. Snape and Umbridge are trying to hide their annoyance, while McGonagall and Dumbledore look quite worried.
This alone makes me smirk and I think: "Time to alleviate those troubled minds." At which I stand up and walk over to the Owl Stand, drawing a little more attention from everyone as I walk there and having every eye on me by the time I have turned around to face the students again, the teachers looking at my back now.
"Morning everyone, I have the news Headmaster Dumbledore was hoping to give you all back on Wednesday morning. I know where Harry is – and I'm not telling." At this a lot of faces had started smiling, but those now look at me wide eyed and open mouthed. And to my relief do the twins, Chasers and Lee look quite genuine.
"MR. WEASLEY! What do you mean, you're not telling?" McGonagall snaps and I smirk at her as I say: "I mean I'm his Secret Keeper, Professor." And I pull out the book that I have been carrying with me all week, opening the page that I marked as I say: "And according to this reference book, by sharing the secret, I made it stronger.
Not in the way that an Organization might share the Secret with its members, mind you. I mean that I picked Katie, who has been keeping Angelina off of Harry's back ever since that incident in the second week of classes, to be my Secret Keeper and asked her to pick one person she trusted above all others and repeat the process.
They did the same with one other and that happened another four times before the Seventh whispered a special phrase to me while we were both in the bathroom. He then made me his Secret Keeper and I went back to Katie. We have been repeating this process all week and now, as referenced in this book, the spell is at full power.
Oh, and Hermione, just so that you don't feel left out or anything, I just didn't pick you because you'd be the first everyone would think I'd pick if, by accident, I did reveal that this was going on before the spell was full power. Didn't want to be too obvious as, let's face it, we care too much for each other. That's both a strength and a weakness."
The girl nods, smiling at me in grateful relief and wiping away the tears of hurt that had been shining in her eyes. "Mr. Weasley, why –?" Dumbledore tries, but I had put the book back in my bag while talking to Hermione and just hold up the Map, the man gasping in shock as he sees it. I smirk at him and then turn to Umbridge as I say:
"Guess it's a little addictive, Professor. So sorry – well, no, not really." The woman glares at me foully, but considering what she has been putting Harry through before this happened, do I just not care. I then turn back to the students at large and say: "Just so you all know, we are currently with 256 in this very Great Hall."
And then, while I know they want to do it too, am I the only one to pull out my wand and I cast: "Homenum Revelio." Causing for the majority of the school to shudder in their seats before I say: "Yep, 256 in total." And I spare another glance at Dumbledore as I put my wand away again, the man's eyes saying it all.
While the others are wondering why I pulled out an old bit of parchment and while I feel I need to know just how many people there are in a room, does Dumbledore know. He knows that I am aware of the curse on the Map and of the fact that Order members have been secretly following my best friend as well as myself.
The warning that that time and those chances are now officially over has been received and while I walk back to my seat, knowing I will have to explain this a little further in detail to Hermione later, do I also wonder something. "How long until I will have to make a trip to London? Is mum going to think she can make me reveal the secret?"
But while I never thought I'd have to choose between my best friend and my own mother, do I also know that I have already made my choice several days ago and that there is no turning back now. Harry needs to be kept safe and if that means I need to protect him from those who would violate his rights, so be it.
"I'm his best friend, after all. And I made a similar mistake myself not even a year ago. Not going to do that a second time. No, this is my chance to prove that I really am Padfoot to Harry being Prongs, not Wormtail – like my disgusting former pet." And with that do I motion for Hermione to follow me out of the Great Hall.
Well done, Ron.
Yeah, next chapter is going to be about Ron going to London and explaining the full story to his parents and a few members of the Order. Expect a confrontation or two and don't expect Ron to come out losing those. This is going to be a story completely based on people relearning what morals are all about and their value.
Let's do this,
Venquine1990
