Disclaimer: The characters and universe of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling I have no rights and/or claim to any of it. This is just my thoughts on what would have happened next – pure speculation and daydreams!
Chapter 11 – The Decision
A ferocious battle was at hand and in the centre, Sirius Black ducked and weaved as Bellatrix fired spell after spell in his direction. He laughed at her frustration that she was failing to hit her mark, and taunted his cousin knowing how much it would infuriate her. One jet of red light missed Sirius by inches, and Harry looked on frozen in horror as the second spell found its mark. Sirius' eyes widened in shock at the realisation of his demise. In slow motion, Harry watched his body curve in a graceful arc as he fell through the ragged veil. The look of fear and surprise on his godfathers' face and Bellatrix's scream of delight haunted Harry.
Tossing and turning he struggled to shake the dreams from his sleep encompassed brain. After several long minutes however, the memory vanished to be replaced with a nightmare. He was back in the room with the ragged veil and this time Sirius was emerging from it. Gaunt face, haunted eyes, and skeletal frame he flew towards Harry in much the same way as Voldemort has flown unaided. Standing before Harry, Sirius began to shout, "YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE…YOU ARE THE REASON I DIED…WHY DIDN'T YOU USE THE BLOODY MIRROR HARRY…WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO PLAY THE HERO…DID YOU NOT THINK HE MIGHT BE MANIPULATING YOU…IF YOU HAD USED YOUR BRAIN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO THE MINISTRY…IF YOU HAD USED YOUR BRAIN I WOULD BE ALIVE…I THOUGHT YOU CARED."
Ginny awoke with a start, the sunlight was just beginning to creep over the horizon, but it was not yet strong enough to wake her, so why was she awake?
And then she heard him.
Harry was screaming.
She dove out of bed, grabbed her wand and ran to his bedroom. Her mother and father were already there, and the others were poking there heads out of the bedroom doors.
"It's ok no one is in danger, Harry is having a nightmare, go back to bed we will take care of him," announced Mr Weasley to everyone. The others reluctantly did as they were told, but Ginny remained.
Mr Weasley entered the room closely followed by his wife and daughter. The bed covers were strewn across the floor and Harry trembled in his bed, covered in sweat, as though he were cowering from something or someone. They couldn't make out what he said, he mumbled and shook and cried, and every so often a scream of despair escaped.
"Harry love can you here me? It's ok. It's just a nightmare. You are safe," whispered Mrs Weasley softly, she sat on the bed beside him and stroked the hair back from his forehead.
"He's in a deep sleep Molly, I'm not sure its wise to wake him, but perhaps he can hear if you comfort him, it may slip into his subconscious and end the nightmare," suggested Mr Weasley placing a hand on his wife's shoulder and looking at Harry with the concern of a father looking at his son.
Unsure of what to say to comfort him, Molly thought about when her own children were small and had a bad dream, she used to hold them in her arms and sing them back to sleep. In a soft voice, continuing to stroke the hair back from his forehead, she began to sing a lullaby:
Over in Killarney, many years ago Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Oft in dreams I wander Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
My mother sang a song to me
in tones so sweet and low
Just a simple little ditty
in her good old Irish way
And I'd give the world if she could sing
that song to me this day
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby.
to that cot again.
I feel her arms a-hugging me
As when she held me then.
And I hear her voice a-hummin'
to me as in the days of yore,
when she used to rock me fast asleep
outside the cabin door.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby.
After two repetitions Harry stopped mumbling and after the third his breathing slowed, and the nightmare came to an end allowing him to settle into a peaceful dreamless sleep. For a further ten minutes Mr and Mrs Weasley sat beside Harry ensuring the nightmare was over and he really was in a peaceful sleep. Once satisfied they rose and headed to the kitchen to make a pot of tea.
Ginny, who had been hovering in the background, entered Harry's room closing the door behind her. It had upset her to see him so disturbed by nightmares. She curled in the bed beside him, wrapping her arms around his torso and setting her head on the pillow beside his. For a long time, she lay awake staring at him, memorising the shape of his eyes and counting the eyelashes that adorned them, and getting lost in thought as she considered the lightening bolt scar on his forehead. Eventually she drifted off to sleep.
Harry awoke pleasantly surprised to find Ginny lying beside him; her soft pink lips were a temptation he could not resist, and he kissed them deeply waking her.
"Good morning, to what do I owe this pleasure?" asked Harry smiling and curling a strand of ginger hair around his fingers.
"You were having a nightmare, it must have been bad because you were screaming. Mum and dad sat with you until it ended. Mum sang a lullaby she used to sing to us when we were little to try to help the nightmare stop. It must have worked because you seemed much calmer. When they left I stayed. I hoped you might feel my presence and it would stop the nightmare starting again," replied Ginny staring at him with wide eyes.
"I didn't realise I was being so loud, sorry for making you all worry and waking you up," said Harry sheepishly.
"Harry what was your nightmare about?" asked Ginny in a voice barely more than a whisper.
Harry looked into Ginny's eyes and considered her for a moment. To talk about the nightmare, to be so open and vulnerable scared him, but he also knew she was a safe person to open-up too. Harry had never been in love but was certain how he felt about Ginny was love. If he pictured his future she was part of it, and that meant he had to be willing to share himself with her. Taking a deep breath, he told her of the nightmare about Sirius.
"Oh Harry!" exclaimed Ginny when he had finished speaking. She placed her hand on his chest, over his heart, and looked him directly in the eyes. "Sirius would be horrified to know you had those thoughts, he loved you and would never blame you."
"I know," he said sighing. He felt a sense of relief from sharing the nightmare with her.
Ginny shuffled closer to him, her body pressed against his, and she kissed him passionately. Harry loved the way her body melted into his and he held her tightly, tracing his fingers along her spine, as they kissed, not even stopping for breath. Ginny pulled away gasping for air, and Harry lowered his hands to her hips, and his lips began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses. Harry's heart fluttered in his chest as Ginny began to tremble at his touch.
The loud bang of a door slamming somewhere above them broke the moment and made both of them jump up in fright of one of the Weasley men walking in on their make-out session.
"Breakfast?" asked Harry grinning, he stood up taking hold of Ginny's hands and pulling her with him. Giggling they headed downstairs to join the rest of the family for bacon, sausage and fried egg sandwiches.
They had not long finished eating when there was gentle knock at the back door, followed by the sound of a baby crying. George who was closest, opened the door and stood back to allow their visitor to enter. It was Andromeda with Teddy.
"I'm sorry, I hope this isn't an inconvenient time, but Ted is teething, and I've barely slept I didn't know who else to reach out too," yawned an exhausted Andromeda.
Fleur picked up the crying baby who stopped fussing as he gazed at her beautiful face. "Zere zere cleever boy wat iz all ziss fuss about huh?" she cooed. Teddy's hair changed to silver to match Fleur and she laughed in delight.
"Why don't you head home for a good sleep in your own bed, and then take some time for yourself. Babies are hard work. Teddy can spend the night here, there's plenty of us to share the load. I'll pop back with you to collect some bits," said Molly grabbing her cloak as she spoke.
"Oh, Molly you are a saint," smiled Andromeda.
"Andromeda I'm sorry you've been on your own with Teddy, I should be helping more as his godfather," said Harry feeling a deep sense of guilt.
"Harry your only young and you've had a lot to deal with," replied Andromeda.
"All the same, I would like to help with Teddy and in the future when I have my own place he could stay with me some nights?" asked Harry.
"I would love for you to be a part of Teddy's life Harry, it's what Nymphadora and Remus would have wanted," she replied smiling at him fondly.
The two women left to apparate to Andromeda's house, Fleur decided to take Teddy into the garden to pick flowers, and the rest headed upstairs to get ready for work.
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived at the Auror office, it was to find their three mentors grouped around Neville's desk, who was also present with his mentor Jennifer.
"Good morning you three," chirped Ena, her lilac her swinging merrily in a tight fish plait along her back.
"It should be a pretty eventful day," said Elon with an air of excitement, as he took a large gulp of coffee from his oversized Puddlemere United collectors' mug.
Smiling at their confused faces, Enoch explained, "It seems the intelligence we have been gathering has finally paid off. We have a lead on Walden MacNair and Augustus Rookwood, a very plausible lead. The two of them paired up to try and help each other escape, but unlucky for them we are good at our job!"
"Excellent, when do we start?" asked Ron rubbing his hands together relishing the thought of going out into the field to catch Death Eaters.
"The information we have places them at an abandoned farm house in East Anglia," informed Jennifer.
"It should be straightforward enough," chimed in Elon.
"But no doubt they will put up a fight instead of surrendering and making our jobs easy," smiled Enoch.
"Course they'll fight," laughed Neville.
"So, the plan is as follows. We will apparate to a small wood within sight of the farmhouse. Jennifer and Neville will cover the back should anyone try to escape that way. Elon and Ron will bring down the wards, as soon as this happens they'll be alerted to our presence, so immediately Enoch and Hermione will set anti-apparition charms in place to stop them escaping. Harry, you'll come with me to the front that's most likely where they'll come to make a stand. Elon and Ron, you will be free to cover us, but keep watch on Enoch and Hermione their charm is the most important so shield them over us. Everyone understand?" instructed Ena.
They all nodded in agreement, determination etched on their faces.
Twenty minutes later, they were gathered in a small wood on an abandoned farm in East Anglia. The farm house was a long, single story building with crumbling white washed walls and a slate grey roof. All the windows were boarded with plywood, and ivy choked the red brick chimney. It looked like a cold and damp place. A plume of white smoke from the chimney was the only evidence of inhabitants.
Following the plan, Jennifer and Neville cast disillusionment charms on each other and ran to the rear of the building. Moments later Elon and Ron moved to the front edge of the wooded area and began the process of breaking through the wards placed around the building, it didn't take long as the wards in place were not very complex. As soon as they finished, Enoch and Hermione sprang into action casting anti-apparition charms to prevent anyone escaping. Wands raised, Ena and Harry began to move forwards.
The front door burst open as two men ran outside to see if there was chance of escape. Rookwood shouted "shit" and ran back inside, MacNair adopted an aggressive stance and snarled at the approaching Aurors. Realising one of them was Harry he fired a stunning spell in Harry's direction. The aim was poor, and Harry easily deflected.
"It's over Walden. You are surrounded. Don't make this harder than it needs to be and surrender your wand," shouted Ena as she continued to steadily advance forwards.
"Incendio," screamed MacNair focused on Ena, a wall of flames burst in front of the Auror blocking her path. At the same time MacNair cast his spell, Harry seeing a moment of opportunity acted quickly, "Expelliarmus" he shouted, and as MacNair's wand flew five feet in the air Ena cast the incarcerous spell and a bound MacNair fell, shouting profanity to the ground.
"Nice!" grinned Ena, after putting out the wall of fire with the augmenta charm. She was surveying the bound death eater as Jennifer and Neville appeared around the side of the building, a bound and unconscious Rookwood being levitated before them by Jennifer.
"Tried to flee through the back door," announced Neville. "He spotted Jennifer and began firing spells in her direction as he ran for it, failed to spot me on his other side though, got him with a stunning spell and then Jennifer bound him."
"Excellent, great work everyone, two death eaters caught with minimal effort and no injuries," declared Ena beaming at them all. "Harry afraid we get the boring job and will head straight back to the ministry to fill out the paperwork, Jennifer and Neville as you captured Rookwood I want you to come with us and complete paperwork too. Elon and Ron if you take MacNair, and Enoch and Hermione can take Rookwood, take them straight to Azkaban they will stay there until their trial."
As Harry sat at his desk in the Auror office completing paperwork for the Capture of MacNair and Rookwood he reflected on the day's events. It had certainly been eventful and had given him much to think on. By the time Ron and Hermione returned from Azkaban, Harry had not only finished his paperwork but made an important decision. They left for the Burrow, the other two still feeling exhilarated from the capture at the farmhouse.
Mrs Weasley, after a full day of helping with repairs at Hogwarts, had still managed to cook a delicious meal of toad in the hole, with mashed potatoes and gravy, and a dessert of bread and butter pudding with custard. The dinner table was full of chatter as Mrs Weasley was trying to clean a squirming Teddy's face, he had successfully covered himself in mash and gravy.
"Can I have everyone's attention?" asked Harry steeling himself to tell them all the decision he had made. Mrs Weasley stopped fussing Teddy and sat down turning to face Harry along with everyone else. "I've been thinking, and I hope this doesn't come across as ungrateful, because I can never repay you all for taking me into your home and your family, but I have decided, now I have a full-time job, and with Teddy, I think the next logical step is to get my own place, and well I have one Sirius left me, so if it's possible, which I think I know how to make it so, I am going to move to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place."
"Harry don't be silly there's no need to move out, your home is here," replied Mrs Weasley.
"Please don't feel you have out stayed your welcome, because that's not the case, you are like a son to us and can stay as long as you need," said Mr Weasley taking hold of his wife's hand.
"Thank you so much Mr and Mrs Weasley, it means so much to me. You are the only family I have ever known, and I know you would let me stay with you as long as I need to without question. Every summer you were my life line to escape the Dursleys. You showed me what it is to be part of a family and to be happy. You've continually defended, supported and loved me. I really can't express how grateful I am." Mrs Weasley began to dab a handkerchief at her eyes and everyone else remained silent. "But this feels rights. I want to have my own place. A place I can bring Teddy too and one day settle down with my own family. If I can redeem Grimmauld Place I would like to do so in honour of Sirius, to make it the happy home he should have had, the home he deserved. But that doesn't mean you won't see me at the Burrow I'll be visiting all the time, and you would all be welcome to visit me."
"We understand Harry and will support you but remember wherever you go Harry we will always be your family, and this will always be your home," said Mr Weasley.
A/N: Harry is going back to Grimmauld place and I am afraid to say in chapter 12 there will be the loss of a character. As the battle of Hogwarts took place on 2nd May, time wise we are still only in June, but in the next couple of chapters I plan to swiftly move through the rest of June and all of July, I have something particular in mind for Harry's birthday on 31st July and I am eager to get there. As always if you are enjoying please review. And a big thank you to those who are following and favouriting New Beginnings it's a big encouragement xxx
