-- CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE --

The Room of Requirement

Harry did not dare to speak to either Headmister McGonagall or Professor Lupin as they walked through the castle. Neither of his teachers had spoken a word since they had apparated into Hogsmeade and after sneaking a glance at Lupin, Harry was resolute in keeping the silence between them. Lupin's fists were clenched tightly and his cold black eyes bore into the back of McGonagall's head. Harry could tell that Lupin was angry that McGonagall had ordered them to return to Hogsmeade without Snape or Pettigrew. Stopping in front of a stone wall, the Headmistress spoke in a low whisper. A door appeared where the stone had been and opened to reveal a lavish room decorated in brilliant gold and red. Harry knew that McGonagall had led them to the Room of Requirement. On the room's walls hung large portraits of old wizards whose frames shimmered and glistened from the bright golden light that filtered into the room. A long wooden table had been set up and was surrounded by wizards who went silent at the sight of them. Harry recognized most of the wizards as either as his professors or Ministry aurors that had been stationed at Hogwarts for the year. The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, sat at the head of the table and as they walked into the room, he stood up from his chair and greeted them with an enthusiastic smile. With a flick of Scrimgeour's wand, a chair appeared beside him and with an overly dramatic gesture he offered to share his space at the head of the table with the Headmistress.

"The reason I called this meeting is two fold," began Scrimgeour. "I would like to use this opportunity to hear accounts by those that were at the school during the attacks last night so that the Ministry can act quickly to apprehend the individuals responsible for Ginny Weasley's murder and the Dark Mark that was cast shortly after her death. I would also like to discuss what information if any should be released to the public so that we can maintain a state of calm not only among the students and their families, but also among the pubic in general. There is no need to alarm wizards and witches if such an attack is unlikely of happening at this institution or others like it in the future. I have already decided that it will be against the Ministry's interest to inform the Daily Prophet about these matters for the time being. Out of respect for Arthur and Molly, I would like to keep the death of their youngest child away from the media spotlight. For the Daily Prophet to publish such a story at this time would cause unnecessary panic."

Harry could not believe that the Minister of Magic could talk about such matters with such a dignified detachment. Next to him, Hermione cursed under her breath. He didn't feel like Scrimgeour was concerned about the Weasley's grief so much as he was concerned about his desire to keep his name untarnished. Sneaking a glance at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley (both of whom were sitting silently looking more pale than he had ever seen them), it looked as if neither of them had gotten any sleep the previous night. Ron also seemed to be taking no notice of the Minister. He was staring at the grooves and lines in the wooden tabletop. Harry didn't think that any of them had heard what Scrimgeour had proposed to do.

"Minerva and I spoke early this morning and I will say for the record that the Ministry places no blame on her for this incident. Without Minerva's quick judgement, the alleged Death Eater or Death Eaters on the grounds last night may have roamed free and unnoticed for much longer."

This time Moody snorted loudly, "The alleged Death Eaters, as you say, roamed free and unnoticed for as long as they needed to! By the time that we began searching the grounds, anyone involved in Miss Weasley's death were long gone. If your aurors were as competent as you claim, there would be no need for this meeting."

Harry knew how Moody felt. He didn't want to sit around and help the Ministry devise strategies to cover up how badly Scrimgeour had failed to keep Hogwarts safe. He wanted more than anything to go back in time and find Ginny before Snape had the chance to. Even with the Hufflepuff cup hidden in his cloak, it still didn't make Ginny's murder feel any more justified. He had been standing within feet of Ginny's murderer and yet he hadn't been able to do anything about it.

McGonagall shifted in her chair and looked around the table at her audience before recounting where she and Lupin had followed Harry to the previous night. Around the table, he watched the reactions of the wizards as they listened to McGonagall explain that she and Lupin had arrived at the Bones' estate just in time to find him cornered by Snape. As she spoke he heard Mrs. Wealsey let out a quick gasp while the other wizards in astonishment at either Harry or at McGonagall. He was sure that they were wondering how the boy that lived would overcome Voldemort when he couldn't remember a simple stunning spell when he was face to face with Dumbledore's murderer.

"Get to the point Minerva," said Moody with his usual lack of tack. "What do you know about the Death Eaters that were on the school grounds last night. Do we know the name of Ginny's murderer. We must make a swift response to this attack. Voldemort and his followers will be expecting some sort of retribution either by the Ministry or the Order for the murder they committed at Hogwarts. The sooner we act the less time they will have to prepare."

"Moody, I am sure the Minister will agree with me, that in our next move we must consider patience over blind revenge. As to your question, we still don't know who killed Miss Weasley last night, but I do believe we now know the reason behind the attack. Like I said, Lupin and I followed Harry to Wales last night where Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew were waiting on the Voldemort's orders. I believe that Ginny Weasley's death was done in an attempt to get Harry to leave the confines of the school. Fortunately, one of our aurors discovered Harry's disappearance from the school grounds and Lupin and I were able follow him to the Bones Estate. I fear, if Harry would have managed to leave the school ground unnoticed, we could have been mourning more than one student tonight. Even so, what happened tonight does help to explain what Voldemort has been doing since Dumbledore's death."

"What news have you learned, Minerva?" It was Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister of Magic who spoke with a voice of urgency.

"Well it is almost certain that Snape had been behind the attack on Harry's guardians last summer. I have no doubt that Snape has been employed by Voldemort to keep an eye on the boy. For this reason, it is even more necessary that Harry stay within school grounds." McGonagall looked over at Harry hoping to get a look of assurance from the boy.

"Well is that all?" Scrimgeour looked slightly angry that this was the only news that McGonagall could tell him.

"Well Minister, I think that Snape's actions show a pattern of convenience. It is pretty easy to see that he orchestrated the dementor attack on the Dursleys as a way to get to Harry. As long as we don't allow for any such opportunities to take place, the school will be safe," Minerva said. Scrimgeour seemed relieved as he nodded in agreement. Harry noticed that Lupin's eyes seemed to flashed with anger again.

"You mean if I don't leave the school grounds everyone will be safe?" It was the first time that Harry spoke since he had walked through the doors of the castle.

"Exactly," the Headmistress replied.

"Well, that won't work.. Prof- I am mean Snape was on the school grounds last night. I don't know how he got past the aurors outside but he did. He was the one that killed Ginny. He told me himself."

Harry cast his eyes down at the table. Mrs. Weasley started crying softly as he spoke and he didn't really want to see the expressions on Ron or Hermione's faces. Reliving what happened that night was more than he could deal with at the moment.

"But that's impossible!" Scrimgeour slammed his hand against the table as he yelled. "I have the best aurors stationed at all the entrances and patrolling the castle both inside and out. There is no way Snape could have gotten onto the grounds." He looked appalled at the very thought that someone could have outwitted his aurors.

"I agree," McGonagall said. "I believe that Snape made up that story to keep you at the Estate until Voldemort and his Death Eaters arrived. He knew that if he provoked you, you would fight him. He was taunting you. There is no way that he would have been able to get onto the grounds."

"I think a more important question would be why you willingly allow two fugitives to slip through our fingers!" Lupin demanded. "We had an opportunity to capture both Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew, but you let them go without a fight. Their capture could have given us much more information than we have now. It has been evident that Snape has been working very closely with Lord Voldemort since Dumbledore's murder! We didn't need to follow Harry to find that out." Lupin's rage was showing as he spoke.

"As Headmistress of this school, I am not going to risk the lives of my students to gain information on our enemies. My first priority was getting Harry out of there. It could have been a matter of minutes before we were outnumbered by death eaters. I will do my job and let the Ministry do theirs."

Harry felt sick watching the Minister of Magic enthusiastically nodding his head in agreement with the Headmistress. If the Ministry was left to bring down the Death Eaters on their own, it would be an infinitely long time before the war with Voldemort ended.

"Let me remind you that the Order of the Phoenix is not about settling personal vendettas," said McGonagall with the same authority that Scrimgeour often used when speaking to people.

"This has nothing to do with personal vendettas." Lupin pushed his chair from the table and got to his feet, "It's time I escort these students back to their dorms."

"I'm staying with Mum and Dad tonight," Ron blurted out. He looked like he was afraid that Lupin might hit him or something.

For the first time since the meeting began, Mrs. Weasley looked like she was aware of what was going on around her. "Harry, Hermione - you both are welcome to join us. You have always felt like family."

"Um, thanks Mrs. Weasley, but I will go back to the dorm rooms tonight." Hermione looked awkwardly at Ron as his Mum started crying in her husband's chest. Harry just quietly muttered that he would go back to the dormitory too and they slipped out of the room with Lupin.

The corridors were isolated. The students would all be sleeping in their dormitories not knowing how vulnerable Hogwarts really was.

"That was really stupid, Harry. What were you thinking, leaving the school like that?" Hermione whispered as they walked back to the common room, "I overheard Hagrid tell Mrs. Weasley on our way to the meeting that you dreamt about the Death Eaters on the quidditch field. Why didn't you tell us about your dream, Harry. You really should have told Ron and me."

Harry pretended that he didn't hear her. He didn't want to make a scene in front of Professor Lupin. Hermione seemed to understand this too. The rest of the way through the castle was spent in silence, each person thinking about what had happened in the past day. It wasn't until they had arrived in front the Fat Lady's portrait that anyone spoke.

"I know you have the Horcrux, Harry."