A/N: Hey,chapter 7 up, for all the curious readers there are about 9 chapters left in this story, see you at the bottom of the page!
This chapter is dedicated to iHEARTxDRACO, itse, and Taylor.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K Rowling, not me.
Chapter 7: Dumbledore's Papers
The first thing he noticed was a pair of light, brown eyes.
'Wha-!' he scrambled backwards and toppled off his bed, landing with a ground-quaking crash on the floor.
'Harry!'
Looking up he saw Ginny staring down at him in apprehension, she looked more beautiful than ever, giving off a strange glow, although this could be due to the lights dancing around the corners of Harry's eyes.
'Harry?'
He shook his head and immediately regretted it; the room seemed to swim around him as his forehead exploded in pain.
'I'm fine Ginny…err, is the wedding over?' he asked, noticing she was wearing a faded blue nightgown.
'Actually, you slept through it, everyone's downstairs having breakfast.'
'Break-?' he had been thinking about Professor McGonagall's request so intently he had fallen asleep, he shook his head again and was reminded of the egg-sized lump that was throbbing on his forehead. 'Have you had breakfast then?'
She blushed at this. 'I was going to wake you up, but…'
Harry suspected she had been watching him sleep for quite a while, and suddenly felt very aware that he was sprawled in a somewhat undignified manner on the floor. Minutes seemed to creep by as they stared at each other.
'…do you know any spells to get rid of this?' he pointed to his forehead in a lame attempt to break the uncomfortable silence.
Ginny smiled mysteriously. 'I know just the thing' she said, and before Harry could do anything, she planted her lips on the bump in a swift kiss. She smiled at his dazed expression and walked to the door.
'Think of that as an apology, it's my fault you got hurt in the first place'.
'An apology…' murmured Harry blankly, momentarily unaware of his surroundings.
Ginny shook her head and closed the door, Harry sighed and collapsed backwards, smiling blissfully at the ceiling (which needed painting), who was he kidding? He still liked Ginny, very much. He raised his hand to the spot she kissed, it still stung but he didn't mind…he didn't care about anything really, the prophecy, the Horcruxes, Voldemort…
It was the sound of his stomach, protesting its emptiness, that jerked him back to reality, he gingerly got to his feet and walked over to a pile of boxes where a pair of fresh jeans and a T-shirt were hung, probably thanks to Dobby who seemed to be waiting on him even at the Burrow, He smiled, he would have to remember to thank the house-elf.
By the time he got downstairs the only people at the kitchen table were Ron and Hermione.
'Took you long enough' said Ron, grinning.
Harry shook his head and sat down, helping himself to bacon and eggs. 'Where's everyone?' he asked.
'Still in bed' said Hermione disapprovingly.
'I think Charlie had too much to drink, and Bill and Fleur well…' he stopped grinning when he noticed Hermione glaring at him.
'But I thought everyone was up? Ginny said you were having breakfast-' he too kept quiet when Ron's expression became furious.
'Ginny?' asked Ron.
Harry glanced at Hermione who was watching Ron anxiously.
'She came to my room, not the other way round' said Harry quickly, immediately realizing he had dug himself even deeper.
'Err, Harry, what was Ginny doing in your room?' asked Ron. Harry thought he was taking all this rather well; a few months ago his friend would have thrown a fit. He decided not to push his luck and quickly stuffed spoonfuls of egg into his mouth in order to avoid answering.
'Maybe she wanted to wake Harry up?' said Hermione helpfully.
Ron grunted and looked like he was about to cross-examine Harry when Hermione rounded on him.
'Look Won-won, I don't think Harry's anything like you. He won't go about snogging Ginny like you did Lavender-'
'Nothing happened Ron, I swear' said Harry quickly, staring at Ron's elbow determinedly, he wasn't sure the kiss to his forehead counted. 'Although she did give me a good scare when she woke me up' he said, brushing aside his fringe to let them see his bruised forehead.
'Oh' said Ron, Hermione however, quickly reached across the table with her wand and tapped him sharply, muttering under her breath. Immediately he felt a thousand hot pins and needles on his forehead, which seemed to deflate.
'Thanks' he said, prodding at his forehead and feeling no pain. 'I can blink properly now'.
Suddenly, three owls flew into the kitchen, each carrying a huge envelope in its beak. Ron ducked as a barn owl dropped a letter, much like a bomber, before promptly flying out the window again. Harry's owl however, landed in front of him and looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to open his letter.
Almost mechanically, Harry opened the envelope and pulled out the parchment. Even though he already knew what it must contain his breath still caught in his chest as he scanned the letter.
'Mr. Potter
You have been offered the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. Should you choose to accept this post, please send a reply via this owl which will remain with you till evening.
Awaiting your favourable reply,
Professor Minerva McGonagall,
Headmistress. '
Harry looked up as Hermione gasped, she and Ron were holding identical silver badges, they both stared at him.
'Let me guess, head-boy and head-girl' he said wryly.
Ron nodded, while Hermione hung her head. Her bushy obscured her eyes from view but Harry didn't miss the tears running down her cheeks. He knew how she must feel, he understood, this was what she had worked for the past six years of her life, this had been her goal since she stepped into Hogwarts, and Ron…this was a dream come true for him, what he had seen in the mirror of Erised in his first year…
'But we aren't going back' whispered Hermione.
Harry felt terrible, they would leave school for him, give up their posts as prefects, give up their futures…just to help him defeat Voldemort.
In a split second he made his decision.
'We are' he said quietly.
'What?' said Ron.
'We're going back to Hogwarts' Harry said, more firmly this time, trying to convince himself it was the right decision.
'But what about the…' Hermione caught herself in time, not mentioning the search for the Horcruxes.
Harry took his plate to the kitchen sink and made a show of washing his plate, careful not to look around at his friends. 'Professor McGonagall…asked me to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts this year'.
Silence
Harry saw their reflections in the kitchen window, they were staring at him as though he had grown an extra head.
'IS SHE MAD? THE JOB"S JINXED!' bellowed Ron.
'Ron!' snapped Hermione reproachfully,' oh Harry, when did she-?'
'Yesterday' said Harry, interrupting her. 'When everyone was dancing'.
He took a deep breath and turned to face them. 'There's more I'd like to tell you, but I'm not sure I can…yet. I mean, with what happened a few days ago with…' He had almost said 'Wormtail' but he remembered that no one else knew about that.
'It's alright Harry' said Hermione reassuringly, 'We trust your judgment'.
'Yeah, we're with you wherever you go' said Ron.
Harry's heart skipped a beat, his friends had just pledged their undying loyalty to him, he finally understood how Dumbledore felt when he had proclaimed himself loyal to the old Headmaster.
Eventually, the rest of the Weasleys managed to drag themselves downstairs. Charlie had a serious hangover and walked about with a huge purple towel wrapped around his head, strongly reminding Harry of Professor Quirrel. Fred and George, worn out from entertaining all the guests at the wedding, had taken to falling asleep on their feet at various spots in the kitchen, becoming obstacles for anyone trying to get breakfast. A frustrated Mrs. Weasley jinxed their eyes open in a desperate effort to keep them awake but the twins slept on, looking like a comical pair of snoring Inferi.
Harry told Arthur and Molly Weasley about his appointment as DADA Professor, Mrs. Weasley was immediately against it, though that didn't stop her ordering Harry knew robes from Diagon Alley, she had ignored his protests, saying he needed to look the part. Harry was secretly glad she hadn't dragged him there personally; he hadn't forgotten his last trip to Madam Malkins'.
Bill and Fleur eventually came down for dinner; it was during this that someone knocked on the kitchen door. Arthur Weasley excused himself, and returned moments later with a grave looking Tonks.
'A date's been set' she said simply.
The kitchen fell silent, Bill and Charlie Weasley stopped eating and gazed at her, their faces expressionless. Harry felt out of place, everyone seemed to know something he didn't.
'Date?' he asked.
'Dumbledore's will' muttered Bill.
'Oh' said Harry quietly. Suddenly no one seemed hungry anymore, Ron picked at his food, Hermione and Ginny stared off into space, lost in thought, even Fred and George had stopped smiling; they had been trying to slip hiccoughing solution into Ron's pumpkin juice.
Mrs. Weasley raised her hand to her mouth, sobbing quietly. 'I still can't believe he's gone, how ever will the Order manage without him Arthur?' she asked.
It suddenly occurred to Harry no one knew Dumbledore's portrait was still intervening on behalf of the Order in the battle against Voldemort, thinking about it he didn't even know who was now heading the group.
'Who's in charge of the Order?' he inquired.
'Professor McGonagall' replied Bill. 'She's been doing okay so far, running both the Order and Hogwarts…'
'And we don't have headquarters anymore' said Mr. Weasley darkly, 'Snape will have handed it over to the Death Eaters by now…'
'So we 'ave been 'aving meetings in deeferent places' said Fleur.
Harry's eyes widened. 'Y-you're in the Order too?' he stuttered.
'Of course, I am going to fight alongside Bill against zat 'orrible man!' said Fleur, giving Bill a kiss on the cheek, he smiled at this, causing his scars to stretch even more, making him look like a red-haired Moody.
'So, Nym- Tonks, when is the reading of the will? Where's it taking place?' asked Charlie.
'Tomorrow at noon, in Professor McGonagall's office' said Tonks, walking towards the door.
'Won't you stay for dinner Tonks?'
'No thanks Molly…I'm meeting Remus'. However she continued to stand by the door, scratching her head.
'What's wrong?' asked Bill.
'I'm trying to remember something…oh yes, Harry, Minerva says you won't be coming back to the Burrow tomorrow, you'll be staying at Hogwarts.'
And with that she waved and closed the door behind, leaving everyone staring after her.
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