Chapter 11
The Ancient Alliance
"How? What are you doing here?" asked Harry, bewildered.
"Drinking herbal tea," answered Madame Zurconi, smoothly smiling at the stunned faces.
"No, why are you here?" asked Hermione hugging Crookshanks closer to her chest.
"Albus told me to wait here until he returns," she answered.
"You know Professor Dumbledore?" asked Harry.
"Oh my yes," answered Madame Zurconi. "We are old friends."
"Why did you…?" Ron began, but Mrs. Weasley cut him off.
"Stop questioning our guest," Mrs. Weasley commanded. "Ron, Ginny set the table. Harry, Hermione go wash and get in your beds immediately. I'll bring your dinner up there."
"Mrs. Weasley, I feel well enough to eat down here," said Hermione.
"Yeah," Harry agreed.
"You are to stay on bed rest for a few more days. Injuries like yours aren't to be taken lightly," explained Mrs. Weasley. "Hermione, I promised your parents I would take good care of you. Now both of you go upstairs," she said pointing at the kitchen ceiling.
"But Mrs. Weasley!" protested Harry.
"No arguments," said Mrs. Weasley firmly.
Harry and Hermione (still holding Crookshanks) reluctantly left the kitchen and headed upstairs as quietly as possible. As they ascended the staircase, they never spoke a word or made any loud noises. The last thing they wanted to do was disturb the portrait of Mrs. Black that hung in the hall behind moth-eaten moldy curtains. They didn't want to provoke another one of her horrible tirades. When Harry and Hermione reached the first floor, they stopped in front of her and Ginny's room.
"Feels like we never left," Hermione whispered as she pushed the door open with a free hand.
Upon entering the room, she placed Crookshanks gently on the floor and walked toward her bed. Hermione and Ginny's things were unpacked for them and a change of clothes rested on their beds. Hermione's were a light pink nightgown with a small lavender flower print pattern and a periwinkle bathrobe.
"Hermione?" asked Harry.
"Yes?" asked Hermione.
"I'm very sorry you got hurt," Harry said softly.
"I know, Harry," said Hermione patting his shoulder.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe," vowed Harry looking down at Crookshanks scratching the floor's base boards.
"Good, because I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe too," said Hermione firmly.
Harry looked up and locked eyes with his best friend. The loud silence between them verified that they had come to a mutual understanding.
"Well I'm going to head to my room now," Harry said breaking the silence. "Is there anything you need?"
"No I'm fine," said Hermione gratefully. "I'll see you later on."
"OK," said Harry as he opened the door to leave. "Thanks Hermione."
"Thanks for what?" Hermione asked.
"For being you," he smiled. Hermione smiled too.
Harry closed the door behind him and continued his journey up to his bedroom on the second floor. As Harry entered the room he stayed in last summer, he saw that his things had been unpacked as well. Hedwig was asleep in her cage and Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl, was whizzing around the room. A clean t-shirt and grey pajama pants where laid out on his bed. Harry quickly went to the bath room to get cleaned up and re-entered his room in record time. He had no sooner put his pants on and picked up his shirt when Ginny knocked on the door. Before he could say anything, she walked in.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," she said blushing as she looked away.
"It's ok," said Harry as he quickly put on his shirt and blushed.
Ginny looked up hesitantly. "I'm so embarrassed. I just wanted to tell you that dinner is almost ready. We are having roast chicken, herb carrots, and mashed potatoes. Mum is going to bring up your food shortly."
"OK," said Harry.
Just then, Harry and Ginny heard Ron running up the stairs. Then they heard a loud thud. Ron had tripped on the steps.
"Dammit!" He yelled.
"Oh, No!" said Harry worriedly. Ginny's eyes widened.
He and Ginny ran toward the noise, but it was too late. Ron had already awoken Mrs. Black's portrait. The curtains flew back and the whole house now echoed of Mrs. Black's bellowing.
"Putrid maggot! Disgusting worm! You horrible polluted garbage!" screamed Mrs. Black.
"OH, SHUT IT!" screamed Ron angrily. He had run to the portrait that hung in the hall and was struggling to pull the curtains together.
Harry and Ginny ran to help him. Mrs. Weasley came running from the kitchen.
"Filthy half-breeds and mudbloods defile this house!" Mrs. Black screeched.
"Ron! You know to be quiet!" Mrs. Weasley scolded. "Harry, stop pulling on those curtains and go back upstairs. You'll injure yourself further! Ginny you go too."
Harry didn't dare argue. He and Ginny stepped aside and let Mrs. Weasely help Ron close the curtains. He and Ginny released their end of the curtain, walked back up the stairs, and stopped in front of Harry's room. Harry and Ginny heard someone enter the house.
"Hello?" a female voice called over Mrs. Black's tantrum.
"Tonks, come help us!" yelled Mrs. Weasley.
"Well I'm going to change for dinner," said Ginny over the noise. "I'll come back afterwards." She touched Harry's arm.
Harry smiled widely. "I'll be here," he said chuckling as he opened the bedroom door.
After a minute or so, Mrs. Black's voice began drifting off into silence. Ron huffily passed Ginny and Harry in the door way. Ginny turned to go to her room and Harry entered his room to find Ron pacing. He was red in the face.
"The first chance I get," Ron said. "I'm going to light that woman on fire!"
Harry couldn't respond because he was too busy choking back his laughter. Ron went to the bathroom to wash and moments later came back and changed into the clothes that lay on his bed.
"So what do you think?" Ron asked in a calmer tone as he changed his clothes.
"About what?" asked Harry.
"Madame Zurconi being here," said Ron.
"I don't know. Maybe you could try talking to her again at dinner," said Harry.
"Maybe, but I doubt mum is going to let me. Besides, I'd prefer it if we all could talk to her at once," said Ron.
Tonks appeared in the door way.
"Dinner is ready," she announced.
"Thanks," said Ron.
Harry got into bed. Ron got up and followed Tonks out of the room.
"I'll be back soon, Harry," said Ron.
"Ok," said Harry.
Ron stepped into the hall and closed the door. Mrs. Weasley brought Harry and Hermione their dinner trays. The dinner was delicious and Harry didn't waste time eating it. When he finished he climbed out of bed and put his tray on the nearby dresser. He collapsed back into bed, placed his head on the pillow, put his glasses on the nightstand, and closed his eyes. Fifteen minutes later Ron re-entered the room.
"Harry, are you sleep?" asked Ron sitting down on the end of Harry's bed.
"Well if I was I'm not anymore," said Harry light heartedly as he grabbed his glasses and sat up in bed.
"Dinner was quiet," began Ron. "No one spoke that much. We are going to have to get Madame Zurconi alone so that we can ask her some questions."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Harry.
Ginny appeared in the open doorway.
"I've come to say goodnight," she said to Harry and Ron as she moved towards Harry's bed.
"Goodnight, Ginny," said Ron.
"Goodnight," said Ginny back to Ron as she bent down to hug Harry.
"Sweet dreams," she whispered in his ear. "I'll see you in the morning."
Ginny turned and walked back out of the room closing the door behind her. Ron changed into his pajamas and hopped into his bed. Harry placed his glasses back on the stand and sunk into his pillow. As he relaxed into sleep, a very strange and surprising feeling washed over him. He wasn't feeling sorrow like he had expected to. Being back at Number 12 Grimmauld Place made him feel close to Sirius and that brought him happiness.
Harry awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of someone coming in the front door and a plethora of voices whispering down stairs. He quickly put on his glasses and tiptoed out of bed being careful not to wake Ron. He snuck out of the door and silently descended the staircase toward the noise. Harry stopped at the kitchen and peaked in through a crack in the door. Sitting around the table was Madame Zurconi and several members of The Order of the Phoenix: Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, Snape, and Hagrid as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasely, Tonks, and Mad Eye Moody.
"A flash of light emerged from the table and knocked us down. When I stood up, my crystal ball revealed the mark of the Blood Triad," Harry heard Madame Zurconi state.
Mrs. Weasley grabbed Mr. Weasley's hand, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid gasped, Mad Eye Moody and Professor Dumbledore showed no emotion, Tonks looked confused, and Professor Snape looked rather irritated.
"That's impossible," retorted Snape. "There is no Blood Triad. It's just a myth. I'm awake in the middle of the night for this!"
"I saw the mark," insisted Madame Zurconi. "Who are YOU to contradict ME?"
"Alright, calm down," said Professor Dumbledore.
"Tell us exactly what you saw, Theresa," said Professor McGonagall to Madame Zurconi.
"I saw a red mark that looked like three spiraled lines emerging from a center point enclosed in a black circle in my crystal ball," answered Madame Zurconi.
"Well that is undoubtedly the mark of the Blood Triad," said Professor Dumbledore.
"What is the Blood Triad?" asked Tonks.
"It is an ancient alliance rumored to have existed around 500 A.D.," explained Mad Eye Moody.
"Rumored being the key word," spat Professor Snape.
"Why haven't I ever heard of it or read about it?" asked Tonks.
"It was a secret society. Its existence is not widely known and there is very little written documentation. The books that do speak of it only dedicate a few sentences. Most knowledge of them has been passed on through word of mouth over many years," explained Professor Dumbledore.
"The Blood Triad is not real. It is nothing more than a fabrication," insisted Snape. "A fairytale so to speak."
"On the contrary, Severus, the Blood Tirade was very much real," contradicted Professor Dumbledore. "In fact throughout certain powerful circles there was talk that they foretold of a great evil rising to power. Shortly after that, all reference to them ceased and today their memory has been reduced to a legend."
"Why would you see the symbol now?" asked Mr. Weasley.
"I don't have an explanation," answered Madame Zurconi. "I do know that Harry, Ron, and Hermione's friendship awakened something."
"Oh!" squeaked Mrs. Weasley. "What are we going to do Arthur? They are just children!" Mrs. Weasley looked panic stricken. Mr. Weasley rubbed her back.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sir," started Hagrid. "What should we do?"
"Unfortunately, Hagrid, I do not know," answered Professor Dumbledore. "Tomorrow I will look more closely into this matter."
Harry's breathing became rapid at the news.
"Did you hear something?" asked Professor Snape shooting a quick glance at the door.
Harry silently backed away from the door and quickly tiptoed back upstairs before anyone saw him. He slipped back into his room and climbed into bed. Ron was still fast asleep. He lay awake for a while wondering why Madame Zurconi would see such a symbol and how he and his friends were connected to it.
The next morning, Harry awoke to the sound of Hedwig ruffling her feathers. He quickly dressed and once again snuck past Mrs. Black's portrait. He silently headed for the kitchen to get a drink before Mrs. Weasley could catch him out of bed. When he walked through the door, he was startled to see Tonks sitting at the table reading the Daily Prophet.
"G'morning," said Tonks.
"Hi," said Harry taking a seat across from her at the table.
"You're up early, how do you feel?" Tonks asked.
"Fine," said Harry. "The soreness is almost gone."
"Great," said Tonks looking back at the paper.
Harry stared at her for a few seconds and then looked away.
"Is something wrong?" Tonks asked putting the paper down on the table.
"Well," started Harry. "I just was wondering why you lied to me."
"Lied?" asked Tonks. "What do you mean?"
"Well, it occurred to me yesterday that it was you who I stopped at the carnival to ask about Madame Zurconi's disappearance," informed Harry.
"Oh," said Tonks surprised. "I see."
"I just want to know why you lied," said Harry.
"I was under orders to keep you safe and her whereabouts quiet. I had to lie incase anyone was listening to us," Tonks explained.
"Is Madame Zurconi in some type of trouble," asked Harry.
"You know I can't tell you that, Harry" said Tonks sympathetically.
"Order of the Phoenix business?" asked Harry sullenly.
"Something like that," said Tonks. "Look, Harry, I'm sorry I had to lie to you. I promise I will try to always tell you the truth when it's possible."
"Ok," said Harry. "I understand. I just hate being kept in the dark about things. It's the secrets that…" Harry's voice faded.
"I know," said Tonks sadly. "Are you ok being here?"
"Yeah I'm dealing with it," said Harry.
"If there is ever anything you need please don't be afraid to ask," offered Tonks earnestly.
"Well there is one thing you could do for me," said Harry smiling, leaning in closer, and lowering his voice.
"Name it," said Tonks, leaning in towards Harry with a look of intrigue.
Sneak Peak of Chapter 12
Ginny excitedly unwrapped her birthday present from Harry. She couldn't believe her eyes.
Author's Notes: This preview showed up in the last chapter by mistake. it was ment for chapter 12. Sorry about that!
I really love answering questions so if you have any please post them!
Please check my online journal first before posting new questions. If your question still hasn't been answered, then please post it in the review section and then check the online journal periodically for updates.
Online Journal: Go Inside My Head (See homepage link on profile)
I have two editors: a beta reader and a brit-picker. Unfortunately, even with help and the use of spell and grammar check, mistakes can still be over looked. If anyone notices errors, I would be most grateful if you would e-mail me and tell me what you have found so that I can make the necessary changes immediately.
