Chapter 25.
Sounded by Christmas paper, and presents Harry and Draco happy browsed through their new things. Among other things Harry had received books (mostly from his professors, certain Aurors and Hermione), tricks (the twins, and several other friends and admirers), lollies (Ron), the customary Weasley jumper and a beautiful quill from Dumbledore. Draco's pile was very similar to Harry's, Weasley jumper and all. Dinner that night was full of delicious food, roasted turkey and pudding, which was greatly appreciated after a day of flying and games. Both Minerva and Narcissa accepted Severus' offer to stay the night and were shown to rooms. The next day was Boxing Day, and the day that they had to go to Headquarters. Waving goodbye to Narcissa Harry grabbed hold pf Draco and Disapparated. Scowling Severus tossed the floo into the fire and went through to 12 Grimmauld place, closely followed by Minerva. When he got there he saw that the entire kitchen was quiet and staring at Harry and Draco in surprise. Stepping out of the fireplace Harry's shoulder and spun him around so he was facing him.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to Apparate all the time, especially through anti-Apparation wards. Why can't you just use the floo, or a portkey like everybody else?" Severus half shouted. Harry crossed his arms.
"Because this is more fun." Half the occupants of the kitchen either snorted or burst out laughing. Snape did not look amused.
"You're grounded for a week. That means no broom, no cloak, and no map."
"What! Why?" Harry whined.
"First it was the Malfoy's, then my lab, now here. I don't know what else to do to get you to understand that this is dangerous."
"I do know what I'm doing you know, it's not like I apparate blind."
"I beg to differ. Trying to Apparate to co-ordinates on a map is not control. You could have ended up anywhere."
"But I didn't." Harry whispered.
"But you could have." Draco said soberly. Harry looked up at his uncle.
"I won't Apparate somewhere I've never been before again."
"Good." Severus replied, his voice once again at a normal level. Gently reaching out he drew Harry into a hug and kissed the top of his head. "That's one less thing to worry about, now there's only, what, one-hundred and five things." Harry laughed happily.
"I'll work on that. You obviously don't have enough things to do." Severus' laughter joined his nephews and godsons. Looking around the room Severus seemed to realise that everyone was watching them, scowling at everyone in sight he swept from the room, much like an overgrown bat to Harry's amusement. It sent him off on another peel of laughter. Regaining his composure Harry looked around the room, the room looked back, until Harry's view as obscured by red hair attached to his armful of Ginny.
"Hey Gin. How you been?"
"Good. Charlie came down for a few days over the holidays. He didn't want to leave the dragons alone for too long but apparently they have just employed a dragon handler that Charlie approves of." Ginny smiled cheekily and Harry raised his eyebrow. It was at that moment that Albus Dumbledore stuck his head in the kitchen door,
"Come along all. We're not eating in here, the foods almost ready to be set out, and you wouldn't want to miss it. I believe that the house elves outdid themselves." The Order members and teenagers made their way to the dining room, all at different paces. Harry and Ginny were amongst the last to enter but luckily Ron and Hermione had saved them a seat each. Even though Harry had had so much to eat last night, he was still able to make seconds for some foods. Ron of course managed thirds and fourths, but that was just Ron. After the food had been consumed and the talk exhausted Dumbledore stood up and announced that an Order meeting was about to take place. Around him, Harry watched as his fellow students, as well as the Weasley twins whom Molly still wouldn't let enter, stood up and moved to the door.
"Aren't you coming with us Harry?" Hermione asked quietly.
"No. I'm staying."
"Come' on Harry. They'll never let you stay. Besides we were planning on playing a game of Quidditch." Ron argued.
"No. This is more important then Quidditch. You guys should go." Harry prompted.
"See ya later." Ginny called as she dragged Ron from the room followed by Hermione who had grabbed hold of Fred, and Draco who had grabbed hold of George. When they had left Harry turned to Dumbledore.
"So, how did things go yesterday?"
"Alastor?" Dumbledore motioned for the old Auror to answer the question. Harry noticed that before he spoke Moody swept the room with his electric blue eye.
"Thanks to the prior warning of the attack," Moody nodded towards Harry, "We were able to successfully mount a counter-attack. The casualty rate was low; most members were either not injured or healed on site. Another dozen were admitted to St Mungo's, but released this morning leaving only Bonello, who took the brunt of the spells sent towards his group and is currently unconscious though I have been reassured that he will be just fine. As for the Death Eaters, we managed to capture eight of You-Know-Who's lower ranks, and also Lucius Malfoy, who strangely enough only appeared to be shooting flowers at people." Harry, who knew perfectly well why Lucius had only been able to shoot flowers at people snorted into his tea, though slightly surprised that the charm that he had placed on the elder Malfoy's wand before Disapparating with Draco, had held so long. He carefully avoided Severus' eyes. Although when said person grasped his chin and forced Harry to look at him, he wasn't overly displeased. Severus took in a deep breath.
"Harry, tell me you didn't curse Lucius' wand."
"Of course I didn't." Harry replied brightly as Severus sighed in relief, "I charmed it."
"You WHAT?" Molly and Severus shouted at the same time.
"Umm. Charmed it." Harry replied sheepishly. Looking up he saw Dumbledore give him a small smile, which quickly disappeared as soon as Severus looked at him. Harry couldn't help but find it slightly funny that Dumbledore didn't want to face an angry Snape, not many people did. Molly stood up and turned to Severus, who also stood.
"Why in the world would you let Harry go close enough to Lucius to charm his wand?"
"I didn't just say 'here Harry, this is the way to Malfoy Manor, have fun?'" Severus snapped back.
"Yeah. I'm sure it was more subtle then that. Have you no idea how to parent?" Harry saw Severus tense next to him.
"Shut the hell up." Harry shouted as he stood up next the Potions Master. "You have no idea what you're talking about. It was my choice and Severus had no bloody idea what was happening. No one here would have." Molly opened and shut her mouth a few times before coming back to her senses.
"And how do you know that know one else would have known?" Molly asked.
"If you had no idea that I was trying to go somewhere, and that both where I was, and where I was going had very strong anti-Apparation shields, would you have known where I was?" Harry was looking at Molly angrily, "So don't you dare say that Severus can't look after me, he's the best guardian I've ever had, and I'd give anything for it to stay that way." Severus pulled him into a one armed hug,
"Anything?"
"Umm," Harry hesitated.
"Like no Apparating, or lying, or going into a situation where you know or there is a possibility that there are dark wizards or creatures?" Severus continued as if he hadn't heard Harry interrupt.
"I don't know if I like you that much." Harry joked. Severus ruffled his hair before retaking his seat, Harry followed suit, before turning to Moody.
"Sorry to interrupt you Mad-eye, please continue."
"That's alright Potter, I was done."
"But what about the kids? Did any of them get hurt?"
"Did you know one of them Harry?" Arthur asked curiously.
"No. I just want to know if they're all right. Aren't they what you were fighting for? Their safety?" Harry asked incredulously. "Do you not care about them just because you don't know them? Will they be just another faceless casualty? What are you fighting for if not to save those who will suffer if Voldemort reigns?" Harry ignored the shudder that went around the table. "Did you go yesterday to save the kids, or to capture the Death Eaters?" Harry looked round the table, no one answered him. "So you really don't care." Harry whispered.
"It's not like that Harry." Dumbledore told him. "We just couldn't stay too long, the muggle police were coming, and they would care for the children, but we could have gotten into a lot of trouble. If we had been in the Wizarding world it would have been different."
"Oh." Harry mumbled, slightly ashamed of his outburst.
"Now, Donlon, what has been happening in your department?" Dumbledore went round talking to several of the Order members about where they were situated, Harry zoned out until he heard Remus speaking up.
"I'm fairly sure I've got some convinced to join our side on the condition that they get both out protection, and Wolfsbane. I know more would join if we were able to find a cure."
"Wait," Harry cried, remembering something. "Isn't there a spell, or a charm thingy, the Homorphus Charm?" Harry cried happily. "Lockhart told us about it, use that."
"Harry," Remus started slowly, "You do realise that Lockhart was a fraud right?"
"Yeah, but someone out there cured a person of being a werewolf, so it can be done. All you have to do is find them or do the charm yourself."
"We're tried the charm, but it's just too hard to try and work out the correct wand movements without any clues. As for finding the person that you're talking about, do you realise how hard that would be Harry. We don't even know where to start looking, add the fact that the person has no memory of what they did." Harry sat thoughtfully for a few minutes.
"Lockhart said it was an ugly old Armenian warlock with no dress sense. Which was why he couldn't be on the cover of any magazine, because he'd look horrible, or some such nonsense. Does that help?"
"Possibly." Dumbledore stated, staring at Harry intensely, it wasn't that Harry distrusted the Headmaster, but he checked to make sure that his mental barriers were up anyway. Dumbledore's scrutinising gaze left his own and Harry sighed in relief.
"If that is all…" Dumbledore started. Harry turned to Severus.
"Should we bring up our, houseguest?" Harry asked in a whisper.
"I suppose we could ask their position on her. Even if they don't like it I highly doubt that they would be able to break through my wards to get to her, and even if they do, I'm sure between you, me, Draco, presumably Minerva and Narcissa herself we could hold them off for a long time." Harry nodded.
"Okay."
"Just before we finish Albus. I should tell you that I'm protecting one of my old friends."
"How old?" Moody growled, paranoia kicking in immediately.
"School age old." Severus replied.
"Who is it?" Molly asked curiously.
"Narcissa Malfoy." Tonks immediately looked up,
"You're looking after my aunt, even after all she's done?"
"She hasn't done that much Tonks. It is mainly Lucius who is the one that did anything wrong."
"But she married him." Tonks shot back.
"Not by choice." Harry shot back, defending her.
"I assume we have little choice as to how we react to this do we." Dumbledore asked cheerfully.
"No." Harry replied, smiling at him. Harry decided that if Dumbledore was trying to get on your good side, he was a really nice bloke.
"All right then. Oh, and one more thing. Harry hear are the names of the Order members in the Ministry, I suggest you know them well enough that you won't have to look at the sheet, at the bottom are the Ministry members we support even though they aren't in the Order, mentioning them in your interview would be useful too."
"Sure." Harry agreed looking over the piece of parchment Dumbledore had handed him curiously, "When will they be interviewing me?"
"I got a curious owl about you going to the Longbottom's for a day to spend time with Neville, although I also received one the same day from Rita Skeeter saying she'd love to come, and would meet you at the arranged place. Surprisingly enough, they were both for the same day. So maybe I'm not really the one you should be asking."
"Right. But what about the Aurors and stuff, when will that be happening?" Harry queried.
"Next term Harry."
"Thanks Professor. If that's all I want to go talk with my friends."
'Plan with his friends more like' Dumbledore thought to himself but nodded anyway. Smiling Harry got up and went to find his friends.
"Doesn't that boy have any sense of rules?" One of the Order members asked.
"No." Severus replied calmly. "He doesn't even follow the laws of what is able to do and what magic is not able to do. I'm afraid to say he's a lost cause. Now if you'll excuse me there's a book here I wanted to read." Standing up Severus headed to the library where he walked into the planning of Harry and his friends. They immediately stooped talking when he entered. Heading to a bookshelf he found the book he wanted and turned to go reaching the door he looked over his shoulder,
"You know if you don't want anyone to hear you cast a Silencing Charm, or lock the door, or both." With that he left, robes billowing.
(Author's note: By the way, Lockhart really did mention those things about the Armenian warlock in the second book, right before they went into the chamber. So I can't claim that as my idea, it really belonged to J. K. Rowling, much like everything else actually.)