A/N: I'm going to do my best to post a new chapter weekly. You should be seeing them by the end of the week and if everything goes as planned; I'll finish this thing before school starts up in August.
Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters. It all belongs to JKR and Warner Bros. If you don't recognize it, then it's mine.
Hermione knelt over Ginny's prone form, trying to shake her into consciousness. Tears started to flow down Hermione's face. They left tracks in the dirt that now marred her face. "Ginny, please! You have to get up," she cried helplessly. No matter what, Hermione would not leave Ginny's side.
Someone came up behind Hermione and gently pushed her out of the way. "I've got her, Miss Granger." It was Remus Lupin, she saw through tear-filled eyes. "We'll go back to Hogwarts. Where are the others?"
Mutely, Hermione pointed at Ron and Neville. Neville was hiding behind an apple cart and Ron was trying to dodge an incoming hex from a Death Eater. Lupin pulled out his wand and shouted "Stupefy!" The Death Eater fell to the ground. Ron looked around wildly until he spotted Lupin.
"Good show!" He called out raising an arm in greeting.
Lupin scooped an unmoving Ginny into his arms and beckoned Ron, Hermione and Neville to follow him back to Hogwarts. Aurors and ministry officials had finally arrived at Hogsmeade and were fighting off the remaining Death Eaters. Tall wizards in black cloaks fell soundlessly to the ground. Lupin felt Ginny flinch in his arms but she did not stir any further.
"We must get to Hogwarts and notify Dumbledore," Lupin said breathlessly. He was walking so rapidly that even Ron was having a difficult time keeping up.
"Wait…sir…" Hermione gasped. "There's another way. Honeyduke's."
"If you hadn't noticed, Hermione, Honeyduke's is gone. We can't go that way." Ron rolled his eyes at her in exasperation.
"Shut up Ron."
"Ooh. Such strong words."
"Cut it out you two," Remus snapped. "We have enough to worry about without the two of you having one of your fights."
They both blushed deeply and muttered a contrite "Sorry." A small, amused smile played at the corners of Neville's mouth. It was so obvious that they had a thing for each other.
"Isn't there any easier way to get there?" Ron asked pleadingly.
"You are such a baby!" Hermione scolded him. "It's right there!"
Sure enough, Hogwarts castle was straight ahead of them. Ron sighed in relief and glanced at Neville. For someone he had always seen as a wimp, Neville certainly was doing very well.
In no time at all, they were all entering the front hall of Hogwarts. Lupin adjusted Ginny in his arms and turned to gaze tiredly at his charges. "We need to find Harry and Professor Dumbledore. I will take Miss Weasley to the Hospital Wing. You three get Harry and the Headmaster and notify them of the attack. Hurry, but be careful!"
Ron, Hermione and Neville dashed off to Gryffindor Tower, leaving Lupin standing in the entrance hall with Ginny. He looked after them for a moment then set on his way to the Hospital Wing.
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Ron scrambled inside the Common Room with Neville and Hermione hot on his heels. Samuel Snape was seated at a table poring over some books. He looked up when he heard the three of them enter and smiled. "Hello!" He called out pleasantly.
"Have you seen Harry?" Ron asked shortly. He had no time to exchange pleasantries.
Samuel shook his head. "Haven't seen him since you lot left this morning. I don't think he's in the Tower."
Ron snorted derisively and turned back to his companions. "Er, Neville, why don't you stay here? Run up to the dorm and see if he's there. Bring him down here if he is and we'll see you in five minutes."
Neville nodded and hurried up to the boys' dormitory. Seven minutes later, he still hadn't returned and Ron and Hermione were growing impatient. "Where could he bit?" Hermione chewed on her lower lip worriedly. "Harry told us he was going to be here studying all day."
Ron's eyes lit up. "Accio parchment!" He said. Moments later, the Marauders Map came zooming at them from upstairs.
"Brilliant, Ron!" Hermione praised him.
He pointed his wand to the map and muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Lines sped over the map, revealing the school, grounds and the people inside. A little dot labeled Harry Potter was shown in the defense classroom and Hermione's eyes bulged. "What is Harry doing with all of those teachers?" She asked Ron incredulously.
He shook his head. "I haven't got the faintest idea. Look," he said, pointing at the map, "Harry is with Dumbledore. We can tell them both at the same time."
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"Well done Harry!" A voice cried out triumphantly from inside the defense classroom. "I think you're getting it! OOPH!" A loud thud shook the doorway and Ron and Hermione jumped back in surprise. What was going on in there?
Hermione turned the handle and slowly opened the door. She and Ron tentatively poked their heads inside and were shocked to see Professor Dumbledore sprawled out on the floor with a satisfied grin on his face.
"Professor!" Hermione rushed over to him.
Dumbledore looked up at her and straightened his half-moon spectacles. "Ahh, Miss Granger. Do forgive me. Mr. Potter was practicing some new hexes." The Headmaster rose gallantly to his feet and adjusted his robes. He gave Hermione that piercing gaze he had patented so well. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Attack, sir!" Hermione cried out. "Hogsmeade! Death Eaters!"
Lily and James grew pale at this. Sirius looked over at Harry who was trying to catch his breath. Dumbledore studied Hermione then nodded almost imperceptibly. Everyone quickly exited the room, leaving only the students and the Headmaster.
"Please, sir," Ron said despondently. "My sister. She's…Lupin has her…she's in the…"
Dumbledore looked at him kindly. "Yes Mr. Weasley?"
"She's in the Hospital Wing," Hermione finished for her friend. "She wasn't attacked, but she's unconscious. She won't respond to anything. It's like she's retreated into herself."
Professor Dumbledore rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "A defense mechanism, perhaps?"
"Uh, yeah." Ron replied. "But against what?"
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know," she told them, "all I saw was Ginny falling to the ground. There was a Death Eater that ran in the other direction, but nothing about him seemed very noticeable."
Harry had grown visibly paler during this exchange. He looked wildly around the room, his frantic gaze finally resting on Ron. "Ginny? She's unconscious?"
"Uh, yeah. A little slow on the uptake, 'ey Harry?" Ron stared at Harry in exasperation.
Harry started for the door intent on going to the Hospital Wing. "Harry wait!" Hermione cried out. "Where are you going?"
Harry spun around to face her. "To see Ginny. Where do you think I'm going?"
"We mustn't rush to conclusions, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said quietly. "Chances are, Miss Weasley is doing just fine. We must consider what has happened at Hogsmeade. You must be prepared to face several injuries. The Hospital Wing will be overflowing, Mr. Potter. Now may not be the best time to visit your friend."
Harry's eyes bulged disbelievingly. He shook his head and pushed his way past Ron to the door. "I'll be with Ginny," he told them. He didn't turn around when he spoke. "If you care enough to join me, I'll see you there."
Ron's mouth opened and closed, his eyes widening. "How? H-how can he th-think that we don't care?" He spluttered angrily.
"He's just concerned about her," Hermione consoled him. "He's right though. We should be up there with Ginny. Professor?"
"Of course, Miss Granger. I need to take care of a few things myself," Professor Dumbledore dismissed them. Ron and Hermione rushed out the room and up to the Hospital Wing. The Headmaster glanced around the room, shook his head sadly and left for his office.
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Harry was sitting at Ginny's bedside, holding her hand. She appeared perfectly normal; no bruises or scratches disfigured her face. She looked as though she were sleeping peacefully. But, according to Madame Pomfrey, Ginny was not sleeping. She was in a catatonic coma. And there was no way of knowing if she would ever come out of it.
A single tear coursed its way down Harry's face. If only he had been there. Maybe he could have done something to prevent this. The entire Hospital Wing had been filled to the max, Harry observed. Students were being treated right and left for minor injuries. Only a few lay still on their beds like Ginny.
A sudden movement startled Harry. He looked around and saw Ron and Hermione standing behind him. Hermione moved forward first and gasped when she saw Ginny lying unconscious on the bed. Tears filled her eyes as she sat next to Harry.
Ron couldn't move. He saw his sister and he couldn't move. He stood stock-still and just stared at her. Harry saw the furious look on his friend's face and quickly moved from his chair. "Here," he said softly. "I'll find another one."
Ron sat stiffly in the offered chair and stared down at Ginny's face. Someone must have closed her eyes, he noticed. When they had left her with Professor Lupin, her eyes were wide and staring. When he spoke, Ron's voice came out soft and strangled. "God, Hermione. How could this happen? She's my baby sister. I'm supposed to protect her."
"It isn't your fault, Ron. Whatever caused this; it's not your fault. Ginny's a big girl now. She can take care of herself. There was nothing you could do out there."
"But if I can't protect her out there, how am I supposed to protect her when we face Him for the last time?" The tears that had threatened only moments ago came pouring down his face. "I can't lose her, Hermione."
"You won't." Harry had found another chair and pulled it up beside the bed. "We have to have faith that Ginny will come back to us."
"He's right, Ron. We can't give up hope."
"Easier said than done," Ron told them softly. "But it's all we can do."
They sat at Ginny's bedside for hours, waiting for some movement. But after two hours of nothing so much as a fluttering eyelid, Ron and Hermione stood up and looked at Harry. "There's nothing we can do here," Hermione put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Let's go back and tell Fred and George what happened."
Harry shook his head. "You go on. I'll see you at dinner. I'm sure Dumbledore will be making an announcement about the attack."
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The dining hall was abnormally quiet that evening at dinner. Fred and George were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table, talking dejectedly to each other. Ron and Hermione spotted them when they walked in and joined the twins silently. No one said a word. They just sat and ate their dinner despondently; every move became automatic. Nothing seemed real.
"Hey," Harry greeted them softly as he sat next to George. The Weasleys looked up at him expectantly but Harry shook his head. "No change. Pomfrey kicked me out; said I needed to eat."
Ron stared at his plate and pushed it away. He just couldn't stomach any food right now. No one seemed to be very hungry that night. One by one, students all over the dining hall were dropping utensils on their plates. Only the Slytherins seemed undisturbed by the day's earlier attack.
Harry looked up at the head table and noticed an empty seat towards the middle. Dumbledore stood up and looked sadly at his students. "If I could have your attention, please." The hall grew even more silent as everyone looked up at their Headmaster. "Many of you have heard that there was a Death Eater attack on Hogsmeade earlier today. Those rumors are true. I do not enjoy making this announcement," he told them regretfully. "Several students were injured during the attack and they are being treated in the Hospital Wing. Unfortunately, a number of our students, as well as one of our respected professors, did not survive."
Hermione gasped audibly. Ron looked wildly at the head table and Harry stared ahead disbelievingly. "Cho Chang, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were among the students who did not make it."
Harry felt as though he had just been punched in the gut. Hermione began sobbing into her hands, Ron's face turned bright red with anger. Over at the Ravenclaw table, Parvati's sister Padma pushed her chair back from the table and ran out of the dining hall.
"Miss Virginia Weasley is also in the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore told them. "She has not been injured, but Madame Pomfrey tells me that she is catatonic. I ask that you show your support to her brothers and friends, as well as the friends and family of those students we have lost today. I regret to have to make this announcement," he said sadly, "however, we did lose a professor today. Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration Professor, Minerva McGonagall was killed in the attack. She had gone to Hogsmeade after hearing of the attack with Severus Snape, and James and Lily Potter. Everything had settled down considerably, but one Death Eater remained. Professor McGonagall was killed with the Avada Kedavra curse."
Students were sobbing openly now. They embraced each other, whispering words of consolation. Fred and George were staring down at the table. For once, they could not think of anything remotely humorous.
"But we don't have a Head of House," Hermione muttered to Harry. "What are they doing about that?"
Harry shrugged, tears filling his eyes. "I don't know," he told her tearfully. "I'm sure he'll work something out."
"The fact remains," the Headmaster said with an air of finality, "Gryffindor House is without a Head. And so, I have made arrangements for a replacement. James Potter has been appointed as the new Head of House. He will begin his duties immediately."
All heads at the Gryffindor table turned to Harry who was completely stunned. His dad? Head of House? Every cloud has a silver lining, I reckon. But this one bit of good news wasn't enough to stop the flow of impending fury building up inside of Harry. He stood abruptly from his chair and stalked out of the dining hall. Harry let the door slam behind him and took off toward the entrance hall. His pace quickened as he neared the door; his heart hammered in his ears as his feet pounded down on the cold stone floor. Harry reached the entrance hall in record time and threw the door open. He didn't stop until he reached the lake where he had saved Ron and Gabrielle Delacour last year during the tournament.
Harry leaned over, attempting to catch his breath. "I hate him," he seethed. "Why? God, why? IT ISN'T FAIR!!!" His voice echoed through the Hogwarts grounds and Harry buried his face in his hands, trying to stop the sobs.
The sound of rustling leaves brought Harry to his senses. He looked around and saw his dad approaching. James sat down on the grass and beckoned Harry to join him. "Feel better?" He asked conversationally.
Harry shook his head. "I thought I would, but-"
"You need to hit something?"
He nodded. "Why did this happen, dad? What did we do to deserve this?"
"I don't know, son." James smiled slightly. "God, it feels good to say that again. Son. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Harry looked up at his dad and smiled back. "Yeah. I kind of like the sound of 'dad' too. It's nice to finally be able to say it to someone."
James grew somber as he regarded his son. "Look, Harry, we can't control what happens. But we can find out what Voldemort's next move is, and we can try to prevent it. Don't beat yourself up over something you had no control over."
Harry shook his head slowly. "I know that. My head knows that, but I can't seem to tell my heart. I keep thinking that there was something I could have done; that I should have been there. But I was here. Training for a battle that we have no idea when or where it will happen. How useless," he concluded bitterly.
"Your training is important, Harry. You had an obligation to be here and you kept it. There isn't much you could have done."
"But he…he killed them. I know he wasn't there, but it was him. You know it was."
"Of course I do. Voldemort's supporters have never acted of their own volition. Except when they were trying to raise him back into power of course."
Harry snorted sardonically. "Then remind me, would you? Why are we so bloody afraid of them?"
"Because Voldemort gives them the power that they hold over us. Because they can't feel. When you become a Death Eater, you lose all ability to feel anything but hate."
Father and son sat staring out over the water of the lake in silence. The breeze blew their already ruffled hair into even more of a mess and leaves rustled softly by. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon and James was amazed at how it set the earth on fire. Hues of purple, pink and blue spread over the sky like cotton candy; the sun rested on a nearby hill, looking for all the world like a giant cherry on top of a sundae.
Harry wiped his eyes and looked at his dad with resolve. "Dad?"
James broke off from his reverie and looked back at Harry. "Yeah?"
"We're going to win."
James looked at him questioningly.
"The battle. We are going to defeat Voldemort. We're going to do it for Cedric and Cho. We'll win for Justin and Susan, and Padma and Lavender. And for Neville's parents, and for the Weasleys. We will defeat Voldemort or die trying." Harry's bright green eyes flashed dangerously and for a brief moment, James found that he was frightened of his own son.
"It's that dying part that worries us Harry. You maybe Gryffindor and Ravenclaw's heir, but the fact remains that you are just a kid. You're all just kids."
"I know, Dad. But the Fates have decided this. Not much we can do about it right? It's written in the stars." Harry looked up at the night sky thoughtfully. "But it has to be me. It has to be us. And we're not kids, not anymore. The moment we heard, I knew. And I'm ready."
"For what?"
Harry's eyes grew darkly grave as he regarded the father he had never known. "War."
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The rest of the week went by slowly for all the Hogwarts students. They ate their meals, did their homework, and went to class. Some actually found themselves looking forward to the impending Quidditch match that weekend between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Harry was among those dreading it. For the first time since coming to Hogwarts, he could not stomach the idea of playing Quidditch; especially not against Ravenclaw.
The day before the match, Harry tracked Draco down in the library. Under any other circumstances he never would have done this, but Harry felt he had to.
Sitting down across from Draco, Harry cleared his throat. Malfoy looked up at Harry with disinterest and returned to his project. "Malfoy!" Harry hissed at him. "Look, I need you to do a favor for me."
Draco regarded him coolly and sat back in his chair. "We're back to last names now are we Potter? What is it?"
"Play in the game tomorrow. I don't think I can, and you're the next best choice."
"The Great Harry Potter? Can't do something?" Draco asked incredulously.
Harry grew red with embarrassment. "Er, well I uh…"
"You had a thing for the Ravenclaw Seeker and now that she's gone you don't think you could play."
Harry stared at Malfoy disbelievingly. "How did you-?"
"I'm not blind, Potter. But okay. I'll do it." Harry smiled thankfully. "But only because it will probably be the only chance I get all year to play," Malfoy added hastily. Harry nodded vaguely, rising from his chair.
"You can use my robes. We're about the same size, so I'll lay them on your bed."
Malfoy nodded in agreement and returned to his book. Harry left him in the library and retrieved his Quidditch robes from his trunk and placed them on Malfoy's four-poster. Tomorrow was going to be interesting.
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"And in a surprise move by the Gryffindor Lions," Lee Jordan called over the din of the crowd, "Harry Potter will not be playing Seeker in this match. His replacement is…oh my God! Draco Malfoy," he finished dimly.
"You did WHAT?" Angelina exploded at Harry. "But he-he-he…"
"He's a total git?" George supplied for her. "Harry, what were you thinking?"
"I can't play today. Not against Ravenclaw. Draco is good; you know he is. Just give him a chance, would you?" Harry ran his hand through his hair nervously as he glanced over at a very sullen Draco Malfoy.
Everyone looked at Angelina expectantly who finally sighed and nodded in consent. "He can play. But only this one time. Harry, I expect you back on the field for our next match."
Harry nodded and grinned in relief. "You can count on it." He waved at Malfoy who walked over to the Lions with a look of indifference on his face. "You can play," Harry told him. "Look, try actively looking for the Snitch. They've got a brand new Seeker as Cho's replacement and you can count on the fact that he'll be following your every move."
Harry turned and walked up to the stands, trying to find Ron and Hermione. When he got there, Harry saw that Hermione was trying to focus the omnioculars Harry had given her last year and Ron was staring at him disbelievingly. "I knew you were thinking about not playing in this match," he said in quiet anger. "And I can understand that too. But Malfoy? Have you gone completely nutters?"
"I know what I'm doing, Ron," Harry told him impatiently as he took his seat between his two friends. "Just trust me."
A whistle blew, signaling the start of the game.
"And they're off!" Lee cried out with excitement. "Gryffindor Chaser Katie Bell takes control of the Quaffle, passing it to her captain Angelina Johnson. Johnson shoots the Quaffle and she SCORES! 10-0, Gryffindor! A lovely shot by a lovely young woman. Ravenclaw takes possession of the Quaffle and Fred, er George, er, Fred…um, one of the Weasley twins sends a Bludger flying in the direction of Roger Davies. Fred and George have started their own line of jokes, so if you're interested-"
"MR. JORDAN!"
"Erm, sorry Professor. Neville Longbottom, the Lion's new Keeper looks pretty bored out there right now. Maybe the Ravenclaw Chasers will give him something to do soon." Sure enough, Neville was flying above the hoops, doing loop-the-loops to his heart's content. "Oh, wait! Here comes Ravenclaw Chaser Jonathon Cooper with the Quaffle. I hope Longbottom sees it in time…Cooper shoots and SCORES! 10-10, Gryffindor; Ravenclaw."
Harry groaned with the rest of the Gryffindors as Neville missed Quaffle after Quaffle. What was going on? Neville never played this poorly during practices. The rest of the Lions were doing they're best to hang on, but at this point, it was all they could do to keep possession of the Quaffle.
Draco was flying high above the Quidditch pitch, scanning the area for the Snitch. True to Harry's words, Ravenclaw's new Seeker Jason Reflet had been tailing Draco through the whole match. "I hope I find the Snitch soon," Draco muttered darkly. "This is getting annoying."
The score was 300, Ravenclaw, 60, Gryffindor. Even if Draco caught the Snitch, they would still lose. He looked at Angelina who was zooming by him on her broom. "Well?" He yelled as she whizzed past.
"Do it!" She shouted back, trying to gain control of the Quaffle.
Draco resumed his search for the Snitch. He scanned the grounds and looked above him, but there was no sign of it.
Harry had spotted the Snitch a while ago and he was practically willing Draco to see it as well. Suddenly, something changed in Draco's posture. He had seen it.
Draco focused his eyes on the Golden Snitch, directly below Reflet. He repositioned his hands and began his dive. Reflet stared after him, unmoving then finally sped after the replacement Seeker. Draco urged his broom on faster, reaching out for the Snitch. He held his breath and the next thing he knew, Draco was holding the Snitch in his left hand.
Shouts and cheers rose up from the stands. Harry gave a loud whoop and smacked Ron hard on the back. "OOPH!" Even Hermione was jumping up and down in excitement. Then they saw the scoreboard flash the final score: Ravenclaw, 300; Gryffindor, 210. Draco had caught the Snitch, but they had lost. The Gryffindor supporters all seemed to deflate with disappointment. Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione, trying to force a grin. "Well, he caught the Snitch," he said lamely.
Ron gave him a look. "Whoop de do."
Hermione just shrugged. "It was a lot like the World Cup last year though, wasn't it? I guess they just wanted to end it on their own terms."
Harry nodded and looked out over the field. A very dejected looking Neville was getting off his broom, surrounded by his teammates. Katie slung an arm over his shoulders and led him away from the crowd. Harry was relieved that no one seemed to be upset with Neville. "Come on," he said to his friends. "Let's go tell Ginny what happened."
Hermione looked at him doubtfully.
"She can still hear us," Harry said. "Pomfrey said she could. And maybe hearing our voices will help her come out of this coma."
Hermione sighed and nodded in agreement. Ron said nothing, but followed his two best friends out of the stands and up to the Hospital Wing.
Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters. It all belongs to JKR and Warner Bros. If you don't recognize it, then it's mine.
Hermione knelt over Ginny's prone form, trying to shake her into consciousness. Tears started to flow down Hermione's face. They left tracks in the dirt that now marred her face. "Ginny, please! You have to get up," she cried helplessly. No matter what, Hermione would not leave Ginny's side.
Someone came up behind Hermione and gently pushed her out of the way. "I've got her, Miss Granger." It was Remus Lupin, she saw through tear-filled eyes. "We'll go back to Hogwarts. Where are the others?"
Mutely, Hermione pointed at Ron and Neville. Neville was hiding behind an apple cart and Ron was trying to dodge an incoming hex from a Death Eater. Lupin pulled out his wand and shouted "Stupefy!" The Death Eater fell to the ground. Ron looked around wildly until he spotted Lupin.
"Good show!" He called out raising an arm in greeting.
Lupin scooped an unmoving Ginny into his arms and beckoned Ron, Hermione and Neville to follow him back to Hogwarts. Aurors and ministry officials had finally arrived at Hogsmeade and were fighting off the remaining Death Eaters. Tall wizards in black cloaks fell soundlessly to the ground. Lupin felt Ginny flinch in his arms but she did not stir any further.
"We must get to Hogwarts and notify Dumbledore," Lupin said breathlessly. He was walking so rapidly that even Ron was having a difficult time keeping up.
"Wait…sir…" Hermione gasped. "There's another way. Honeyduke's."
"If you hadn't noticed, Hermione, Honeyduke's is gone. We can't go that way." Ron rolled his eyes at her in exasperation.
"Shut up Ron."
"Ooh. Such strong words."
"Cut it out you two," Remus snapped. "We have enough to worry about without the two of you having one of your fights."
They both blushed deeply and muttered a contrite "Sorry." A small, amused smile played at the corners of Neville's mouth. It was so obvious that they had a thing for each other.
"Isn't there any easier way to get there?" Ron asked pleadingly.
"You are such a baby!" Hermione scolded him. "It's right there!"
Sure enough, Hogwarts castle was straight ahead of them. Ron sighed in relief and glanced at Neville. For someone he had always seen as a wimp, Neville certainly was doing very well.
In no time at all, they were all entering the front hall of Hogwarts. Lupin adjusted Ginny in his arms and turned to gaze tiredly at his charges. "We need to find Harry and Professor Dumbledore. I will take Miss Weasley to the Hospital Wing. You three get Harry and the Headmaster and notify them of the attack. Hurry, but be careful!"
Ron, Hermione and Neville dashed off to Gryffindor Tower, leaving Lupin standing in the entrance hall with Ginny. He looked after them for a moment then set on his way to the Hospital Wing.
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Ron scrambled inside the Common Room with Neville and Hermione hot on his heels. Samuel Snape was seated at a table poring over some books. He looked up when he heard the three of them enter and smiled. "Hello!" He called out pleasantly.
"Have you seen Harry?" Ron asked shortly. He had no time to exchange pleasantries.
Samuel shook his head. "Haven't seen him since you lot left this morning. I don't think he's in the Tower."
Ron snorted derisively and turned back to his companions. "Er, Neville, why don't you stay here? Run up to the dorm and see if he's there. Bring him down here if he is and we'll see you in five minutes."
Neville nodded and hurried up to the boys' dormitory. Seven minutes later, he still hadn't returned and Ron and Hermione were growing impatient. "Where could he bit?" Hermione chewed on her lower lip worriedly. "Harry told us he was going to be here studying all day."
Ron's eyes lit up. "Accio parchment!" He said. Moments later, the Marauders Map came zooming at them from upstairs.
"Brilliant, Ron!" Hermione praised him.
He pointed his wand to the map and muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Lines sped over the map, revealing the school, grounds and the people inside. A little dot labeled Harry Potter was shown in the defense classroom and Hermione's eyes bulged. "What is Harry doing with all of those teachers?" She asked Ron incredulously.
He shook his head. "I haven't got the faintest idea. Look," he said, pointing at the map, "Harry is with Dumbledore. We can tell them both at the same time."
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"Well done Harry!" A voice cried out triumphantly from inside the defense classroom. "I think you're getting it! OOPH!" A loud thud shook the doorway and Ron and Hermione jumped back in surprise. What was going on in there?
Hermione turned the handle and slowly opened the door. She and Ron tentatively poked their heads inside and were shocked to see Professor Dumbledore sprawled out on the floor with a satisfied grin on his face.
"Professor!" Hermione rushed over to him.
Dumbledore looked up at her and straightened his half-moon spectacles. "Ahh, Miss Granger. Do forgive me. Mr. Potter was practicing some new hexes." The Headmaster rose gallantly to his feet and adjusted his robes. He gave Hermione that piercing gaze he had patented so well. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Attack, sir!" Hermione cried out. "Hogsmeade! Death Eaters!"
Lily and James grew pale at this. Sirius looked over at Harry who was trying to catch his breath. Dumbledore studied Hermione then nodded almost imperceptibly. Everyone quickly exited the room, leaving only the students and the Headmaster.
"Please, sir," Ron said despondently. "My sister. She's…Lupin has her…she's in the…"
Dumbledore looked at him kindly. "Yes Mr. Weasley?"
"She's in the Hospital Wing," Hermione finished for her friend. "She wasn't attacked, but she's unconscious. She won't respond to anything. It's like she's retreated into herself."
Professor Dumbledore rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "A defense mechanism, perhaps?"
"Uh, yeah." Ron replied. "But against what?"
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know," she told them, "all I saw was Ginny falling to the ground. There was a Death Eater that ran in the other direction, but nothing about him seemed very noticeable."
Harry had grown visibly paler during this exchange. He looked wildly around the room, his frantic gaze finally resting on Ron. "Ginny? She's unconscious?"
"Uh, yeah. A little slow on the uptake, 'ey Harry?" Ron stared at Harry in exasperation.
Harry started for the door intent on going to the Hospital Wing. "Harry wait!" Hermione cried out. "Where are you going?"
Harry spun around to face her. "To see Ginny. Where do you think I'm going?"
"We mustn't rush to conclusions, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said quietly. "Chances are, Miss Weasley is doing just fine. We must consider what has happened at Hogsmeade. You must be prepared to face several injuries. The Hospital Wing will be overflowing, Mr. Potter. Now may not be the best time to visit your friend."
Harry's eyes bulged disbelievingly. He shook his head and pushed his way past Ron to the door. "I'll be with Ginny," he told them. He didn't turn around when he spoke. "If you care enough to join me, I'll see you there."
Ron's mouth opened and closed, his eyes widening. "How? H-how can he th-think that we don't care?" He spluttered angrily.
"He's just concerned about her," Hermione consoled him. "He's right though. We should be up there with Ginny. Professor?"
"Of course, Miss Granger. I need to take care of a few things myself," Professor Dumbledore dismissed them. Ron and Hermione rushed out the room and up to the Hospital Wing. The Headmaster glanced around the room, shook his head sadly and left for his office.
________________________________________________________________________
Harry was sitting at Ginny's bedside, holding her hand. She appeared perfectly normal; no bruises or scratches disfigured her face. She looked as though she were sleeping peacefully. But, according to Madame Pomfrey, Ginny was not sleeping. She was in a catatonic coma. And there was no way of knowing if she would ever come out of it.
A single tear coursed its way down Harry's face. If only he had been there. Maybe he could have done something to prevent this. The entire Hospital Wing had been filled to the max, Harry observed. Students were being treated right and left for minor injuries. Only a few lay still on their beds like Ginny.
A sudden movement startled Harry. He looked around and saw Ron and Hermione standing behind him. Hermione moved forward first and gasped when she saw Ginny lying unconscious on the bed. Tears filled her eyes as she sat next to Harry.
Ron couldn't move. He saw his sister and he couldn't move. He stood stock-still and just stared at her. Harry saw the furious look on his friend's face and quickly moved from his chair. "Here," he said softly. "I'll find another one."
Ron sat stiffly in the offered chair and stared down at Ginny's face. Someone must have closed her eyes, he noticed. When they had left her with Professor Lupin, her eyes were wide and staring. When he spoke, Ron's voice came out soft and strangled. "God, Hermione. How could this happen? She's my baby sister. I'm supposed to protect her."
"It isn't your fault, Ron. Whatever caused this; it's not your fault. Ginny's a big girl now. She can take care of herself. There was nothing you could do out there."
"But if I can't protect her out there, how am I supposed to protect her when we face Him for the last time?" The tears that had threatened only moments ago came pouring down his face. "I can't lose her, Hermione."
"You won't." Harry had found another chair and pulled it up beside the bed. "We have to have faith that Ginny will come back to us."
"He's right, Ron. We can't give up hope."
"Easier said than done," Ron told them softly. "But it's all we can do."
They sat at Ginny's bedside for hours, waiting for some movement. But after two hours of nothing so much as a fluttering eyelid, Ron and Hermione stood up and looked at Harry. "There's nothing we can do here," Hermione put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Let's go back and tell Fred and George what happened."
Harry shook his head. "You go on. I'll see you at dinner. I'm sure Dumbledore will be making an announcement about the attack."
________________________________________________________________________
The dining hall was abnormally quiet that evening at dinner. Fred and George were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table, talking dejectedly to each other. Ron and Hermione spotted them when they walked in and joined the twins silently. No one said a word. They just sat and ate their dinner despondently; every move became automatic. Nothing seemed real.
"Hey," Harry greeted them softly as he sat next to George. The Weasleys looked up at him expectantly but Harry shook his head. "No change. Pomfrey kicked me out; said I needed to eat."
Ron stared at his plate and pushed it away. He just couldn't stomach any food right now. No one seemed to be very hungry that night. One by one, students all over the dining hall were dropping utensils on their plates. Only the Slytherins seemed undisturbed by the day's earlier attack.
Harry looked up at the head table and noticed an empty seat towards the middle. Dumbledore stood up and looked sadly at his students. "If I could have your attention, please." The hall grew even more silent as everyone looked up at their Headmaster. "Many of you have heard that there was a Death Eater attack on Hogsmeade earlier today. Those rumors are true. I do not enjoy making this announcement," he told them regretfully. "Several students were injured during the attack and they are being treated in the Hospital Wing. Unfortunately, a number of our students, as well as one of our respected professors, did not survive."
Hermione gasped audibly. Ron looked wildly at the head table and Harry stared ahead disbelievingly. "Cho Chang, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were among the students who did not make it."
Harry felt as though he had just been punched in the gut. Hermione began sobbing into her hands, Ron's face turned bright red with anger. Over at the Ravenclaw table, Parvati's sister Padma pushed her chair back from the table and ran out of the dining hall.
"Miss Virginia Weasley is also in the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore told them. "She has not been injured, but Madame Pomfrey tells me that she is catatonic. I ask that you show your support to her brothers and friends, as well as the friends and family of those students we have lost today. I regret to have to make this announcement," he said sadly, "however, we did lose a professor today. Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration Professor, Minerva McGonagall was killed in the attack. She had gone to Hogsmeade after hearing of the attack with Severus Snape, and James and Lily Potter. Everything had settled down considerably, but one Death Eater remained. Professor McGonagall was killed with the Avada Kedavra curse."
Students were sobbing openly now. They embraced each other, whispering words of consolation. Fred and George were staring down at the table. For once, they could not think of anything remotely humorous.
"But we don't have a Head of House," Hermione muttered to Harry. "What are they doing about that?"
Harry shrugged, tears filling his eyes. "I don't know," he told her tearfully. "I'm sure he'll work something out."
"The fact remains," the Headmaster said with an air of finality, "Gryffindor House is without a Head. And so, I have made arrangements for a replacement. James Potter has been appointed as the new Head of House. He will begin his duties immediately."
All heads at the Gryffindor table turned to Harry who was completely stunned. His dad? Head of House? Every cloud has a silver lining, I reckon. But this one bit of good news wasn't enough to stop the flow of impending fury building up inside of Harry. He stood abruptly from his chair and stalked out of the dining hall. Harry let the door slam behind him and took off toward the entrance hall. His pace quickened as he neared the door; his heart hammered in his ears as his feet pounded down on the cold stone floor. Harry reached the entrance hall in record time and threw the door open. He didn't stop until he reached the lake where he had saved Ron and Gabrielle Delacour last year during the tournament.
Harry leaned over, attempting to catch his breath. "I hate him," he seethed. "Why? God, why? IT ISN'T FAIR!!!" His voice echoed through the Hogwarts grounds and Harry buried his face in his hands, trying to stop the sobs.
The sound of rustling leaves brought Harry to his senses. He looked around and saw his dad approaching. James sat down on the grass and beckoned Harry to join him. "Feel better?" He asked conversationally.
Harry shook his head. "I thought I would, but-"
"You need to hit something?"
He nodded. "Why did this happen, dad? What did we do to deserve this?"
"I don't know, son." James smiled slightly. "God, it feels good to say that again. Son. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Harry looked up at his dad and smiled back. "Yeah. I kind of like the sound of 'dad' too. It's nice to finally be able to say it to someone."
James grew somber as he regarded his son. "Look, Harry, we can't control what happens. But we can find out what Voldemort's next move is, and we can try to prevent it. Don't beat yourself up over something you had no control over."
Harry shook his head slowly. "I know that. My head knows that, but I can't seem to tell my heart. I keep thinking that there was something I could have done; that I should have been there. But I was here. Training for a battle that we have no idea when or where it will happen. How useless," he concluded bitterly.
"Your training is important, Harry. You had an obligation to be here and you kept it. There isn't much you could have done."
"But he…he killed them. I know he wasn't there, but it was him. You know it was."
"Of course I do. Voldemort's supporters have never acted of their own volition. Except when they were trying to raise him back into power of course."
Harry snorted sardonically. "Then remind me, would you? Why are we so bloody afraid of them?"
"Because Voldemort gives them the power that they hold over us. Because they can't feel. When you become a Death Eater, you lose all ability to feel anything but hate."
Father and son sat staring out over the water of the lake in silence. The breeze blew their already ruffled hair into even more of a mess and leaves rustled softly by. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon and James was amazed at how it set the earth on fire. Hues of purple, pink and blue spread over the sky like cotton candy; the sun rested on a nearby hill, looking for all the world like a giant cherry on top of a sundae.
Harry wiped his eyes and looked at his dad with resolve. "Dad?"
James broke off from his reverie and looked back at Harry. "Yeah?"
"We're going to win."
James looked at him questioningly.
"The battle. We are going to defeat Voldemort. We're going to do it for Cedric and Cho. We'll win for Justin and Susan, and Padma and Lavender. And for Neville's parents, and for the Weasleys. We will defeat Voldemort or die trying." Harry's bright green eyes flashed dangerously and for a brief moment, James found that he was frightened of his own son.
"It's that dying part that worries us Harry. You maybe Gryffindor and Ravenclaw's heir, but the fact remains that you are just a kid. You're all just kids."
"I know, Dad. But the Fates have decided this. Not much we can do about it right? It's written in the stars." Harry looked up at the night sky thoughtfully. "But it has to be me. It has to be us. And we're not kids, not anymore. The moment we heard, I knew. And I'm ready."
"For what?"
Harry's eyes grew darkly grave as he regarded the father he had never known. "War."
________________________________________________________________________
The rest of the week went by slowly for all the Hogwarts students. They ate their meals, did their homework, and went to class. Some actually found themselves looking forward to the impending Quidditch match that weekend between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Harry was among those dreading it. For the first time since coming to Hogwarts, he could not stomach the idea of playing Quidditch; especially not against Ravenclaw.
The day before the match, Harry tracked Draco down in the library. Under any other circumstances he never would have done this, but Harry felt he had to.
Sitting down across from Draco, Harry cleared his throat. Malfoy looked up at Harry with disinterest and returned to his project. "Malfoy!" Harry hissed at him. "Look, I need you to do a favor for me."
Draco regarded him coolly and sat back in his chair. "We're back to last names now are we Potter? What is it?"
"Play in the game tomorrow. I don't think I can, and you're the next best choice."
"The Great Harry Potter? Can't do something?" Draco asked incredulously.
Harry grew red with embarrassment. "Er, well I uh…"
"You had a thing for the Ravenclaw Seeker and now that she's gone you don't think you could play."
Harry stared at Malfoy disbelievingly. "How did you-?"
"I'm not blind, Potter. But okay. I'll do it." Harry smiled thankfully. "But only because it will probably be the only chance I get all year to play," Malfoy added hastily. Harry nodded vaguely, rising from his chair.
"You can use my robes. We're about the same size, so I'll lay them on your bed."
Malfoy nodded in agreement and returned to his book. Harry left him in the library and retrieved his Quidditch robes from his trunk and placed them on Malfoy's four-poster. Tomorrow was going to be interesting.
________________________________________________________________________
"And in a surprise move by the Gryffindor Lions," Lee Jordan called over the din of the crowd, "Harry Potter will not be playing Seeker in this match. His replacement is…oh my God! Draco Malfoy," he finished dimly.
"You did WHAT?" Angelina exploded at Harry. "But he-he-he…"
"He's a total git?" George supplied for her. "Harry, what were you thinking?"
"I can't play today. Not against Ravenclaw. Draco is good; you know he is. Just give him a chance, would you?" Harry ran his hand through his hair nervously as he glanced over at a very sullen Draco Malfoy.
Everyone looked at Angelina expectantly who finally sighed and nodded in consent. "He can play. But only this one time. Harry, I expect you back on the field for our next match."
Harry nodded and grinned in relief. "You can count on it." He waved at Malfoy who walked over to the Lions with a look of indifference on his face. "You can play," Harry told him. "Look, try actively looking for the Snitch. They've got a brand new Seeker as Cho's replacement and you can count on the fact that he'll be following your every move."
Harry turned and walked up to the stands, trying to find Ron and Hermione. When he got there, Harry saw that Hermione was trying to focus the omnioculars Harry had given her last year and Ron was staring at him disbelievingly. "I knew you were thinking about not playing in this match," he said in quiet anger. "And I can understand that too. But Malfoy? Have you gone completely nutters?"
"I know what I'm doing, Ron," Harry told him impatiently as he took his seat between his two friends. "Just trust me."
A whistle blew, signaling the start of the game.
"And they're off!" Lee cried out with excitement. "Gryffindor Chaser Katie Bell takes control of the Quaffle, passing it to her captain Angelina Johnson. Johnson shoots the Quaffle and she SCORES! 10-0, Gryffindor! A lovely shot by a lovely young woman. Ravenclaw takes possession of the Quaffle and Fred, er George, er, Fred…um, one of the Weasley twins sends a Bludger flying in the direction of Roger Davies. Fred and George have started their own line of jokes, so if you're interested-"
"MR. JORDAN!"
"Erm, sorry Professor. Neville Longbottom, the Lion's new Keeper looks pretty bored out there right now. Maybe the Ravenclaw Chasers will give him something to do soon." Sure enough, Neville was flying above the hoops, doing loop-the-loops to his heart's content. "Oh, wait! Here comes Ravenclaw Chaser Jonathon Cooper with the Quaffle. I hope Longbottom sees it in time…Cooper shoots and SCORES! 10-10, Gryffindor; Ravenclaw."
Harry groaned with the rest of the Gryffindors as Neville missed Quaffle after Quaffle. What was going on? Neville never played this poorly during practices. The rest of the Lions were doing they're best to hang on, but at this point, it was all they could do to keep possession of the Quaffle.
Draco was flying high above the Quidditch pitch, scanning the area for the Snitch. True to Harry's words, Ravenclaw's new Seeker Jason Reflet had been tailing Draco through the whole match. "I hope I find the Snitch soon," Draco muttered darkly. "This is getting annoying."
The score was 300, Ravenclaw, 60, Gryffindor. Even if Draco caught the Snitch, they would still lose. He looked at Angelina who was zooming by him on her broom. "Well?" He yelled as she whizzed past.
"Do it!" She shouted back, trying to gain control of the Quaffle.
Draco resumed his search for the Snitch. He scanned the grounds and looked above him, but there was no sign of it.
Harry had spotted the Snitch a while ago and he was practically willing Draco to see it as well. Suddenly, something changed in Draco's posture. He had seen it.
Draco focused his eyes on the Golden Snitch, directly below Reflet. He repositioned his hands and began his dive. Reflet stared after him, unmoving then finally sped after the replacement Seeker. Draco urged his broom on faster, reaching out for the Snitch. He held his breath and the next thing he knew, Draco was holding the Snitch in his left hand.
Shouts and cheers rose up from the stands. Harry gave a loud whoop and smacked Ron hard on the back. "OOPH!" Even Hermione was jumping up and down in excitement. Then they saw the scoreboard flash the final score: Ravenclaw, 300; Gryffindor, 210. Draco had caught the Snitch, but they had lost. The Gryffindor supporters all seemed to deflate with disappointment. Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione, trying to force a grin. "Well, he caught the Snitch," he said lamely.
Ron gave him a look. "Whoop de do."
Hermione just shrugged. "It was a lot like the World Cup last year though, wasn't it? I guess they just wanted to end it on their own terms."
Harry nodded and looked out over the field. A very dejected looking Neville was getting off his broom, surrounded by his teammates. Katie slung an arm over his shoulders and led him away from the crowd. Harry was relieved that no one seemed to be upset with Neville. "Come on," he said to his friends. "Let's go tell Ginny what happened."
Hermione looked at him doubtfully.
"She can still hear us," Harry said. "Pomfrey said she could. And maybe hearing our voices will help her come out of this coma."
Hermione sighed and nodded in agreement. Ron said nothing, but followed his two best friends out of the stands and up to the Hospital Wing.