Disclaimer:
Nothing is mine. Harry Potter (the Weasley family and so on) belongs to JKR and those who publish her books. Damien is Kurinoone's and Harry's background is kind of hers, too. I am doing this for fun (and to sleep peacefully) and I earn no money for this story. There are parts of this story that have been written by JKR and parts that have been written by Kurinoone.
Chapter Twenty-Five – Harry's Helpers
Lily squeezed his arm. "Just do it, James." She mumbled softly.
James nodded and gripped the piece of parchment even more tightly. His hand shaking, he dialled the numbers. He then pressed the receiver to his ear. For seemingly endless seconds nothing happened. She crossed her arms, praying that Harry would pick up. Sirius shifted beside her and she glared at him. They needed to be silent. She wanted to hear her son's voice, wanted to hear how bad it was. She wanted to be there for him, she wanted-
"Damien?" asked James, his eyes opened wide. Lily looked at her husband confused as did Remus and Sirius. "How... why...?" James looked down at the parchment again.
"James...?" asked Remus softly.
He looked up. "There is Damien on the phone." He said quietly. "Why is there Damien on the phone?" He asked desperately, tears shining in his eyes.
Remus reached for the receiver. "James, let me." But James held onto it tightly, his knuckles turning white. "Why isn't Harry there?"
There were footsteps on the stairs before the door was thrown open. Damien stood in the doorway, his face pale. "Dad, I-I can explain!"
"How did- why- you can't-" James took a deep breath and let go of the receiver.
"Damien...?" asked Lily, her face just as pale as her son's. "How did you get the mobile phone?
"I- I-" Damien glanced left and right as if looking for an escape route. "Harry gave it to me."
Lily stared at him in shock as did Remus, Sirius and James. "Why?"
"It's for emergencies only! He gave it to me to make sure he could call if something went terribly wrong-"
"'If something went terribly wrong'?" repeated James. "What is there to go even more wrong?"
"Dad, it could be worse-" started Damien but James cut him off.
"It could be worse? Harry called us and he was... is miserable. He can't come home! We can't help him! Everyone is looking for him! They want his soul! What could be worse than that, Damien Jack Potter?"
"I- Dad-"
"And why didn't you tell us? We are out there searching for him every single day and you don't tell us that you have a way to contact him! How could you do that? You have seen how much we suffer! And you didn't say a thing! To have us find out like that-" James gestured widely, glaring at Damien. Damien bowed his head, staring at the ground.
"Harry didn't want me to tell you." He said quietly.
"'Harry didn't want you to tell'? I don't care if he told you not to tell! He is our son! We have a right to know where he is! We want to help him Damien! And you think you can keep it from us-"
"James," interrupted Lily him. "Calm down and let Damien tell us what this is all about."
James turned towards her. "Don't you see? They are talking behind our back! They communicate and we are out there looking for him with the answer right under our noses! Damien lied to us, he betrayed our trust! That's what he did!"
Damien winced. "Dad, it's not like that!"
"Prongs, calm down." said Remus. "I'll make us some tea and all of you sit down and talk about this before there are more accusations thrown around." Lily gave him a grateful look, while Sirius pushed James onto a chair. She sat down as did Damien. He nervously wringed his hands, while Remus took out the necessary utensils. Sirius sat down beside Damien, facing Lily and James.
"Well?" asked Lily when Damien only stared at the table.
"I- when Harry came to visit after Christmas, he didn't just give me the pendent but the mobile phone as well." James opened his mouth. Lily grasped his hand and shook her head when he looked at her. "I- he called me only once, telling me a number where I could reach him- for emergencies! He wanted me to call him if something important happened. We didn't communicate. We didn't! He didn't want me to tell you. I'm so sorry! I thought I could keep you all happy and as safe as I could! I didn't want to disappoint one of you. I-" He struggled for words and finally gave up, giving each of them a long look full of despair.
"Pup, you really shouldn't have kept it a secret." said Sirius.
Lily nodded while James glared at him. "You really shouldn't have."
"I'm sorry." repeated Damien, a lot more quietly.
Lily traded a long look with Sirius and Remus before she turned to James. They had to talk about this without Damien. They had to decide what to do now, how to go on-
"Bring me the phone." said James finally.
"What? Why?" Damien asked confused.
"Just do it."
Damien stood up and disappeared, returning moments later with the mobile phone in his hands. James reached for it and Damien gave it to him. For a long moment James stared at it.
"James?" asked Lily softly.
"Damien?" asked James, looking up.
"Yes, Dad?"
James held the phone out for Damien to take. "Do you want to make it up?"
Damien nodded. "Of course, Dad. It was never my intention to-"
But James interrupted him. "Call Harry then."
"What?" gasped Damien.
"I want you to call him. Ask him where he is."
"No, Dad, no! I can't- you can't! You will go to him, won't you?" James nodded. "Harry is going to kill me for that." He muttered. James lowered his arm.
"This is no joking matter, Damy!" scolded Lily.
"Who is joking?" He asked glooming. "He doesn't want you to find him... why can't you just accept that?"
"Damien...!"
"I get why you want to but... he is not going to like us showing up and he really is going to kill me." Damien swallowed nervously. Lily could see that there were desperate tears forming in her son's eyes.
"If you want to you can stay here." She said quietly, reaching over the table to caress his cheek comfortingly. He leant back.
"That's not going to change a thing, Mum! He will be so very furious. It's my fault-"
"It's not your fault, Damy, it is Harry's. He ran and he is going to come home now." Lily said energetically.
"Mum, you don't understand. Harry trusted me with this. I can't-"
"Damien, Harry doesn't look at it from the right point of view. He is much safer here." argued James. Damien looked at them both before looking away. "I want you to do it now."
"You can't force me, Dad!" said Damien desperately.
James stood up and moved around the table. He grabbed Damien's head, forcing him to look in his eyes. "You have to Damien."
Damien bowed his head, his shoulders slumped forwards. There was a tense moment of silence. "I can't, Dad. I can't."
"Damy, can't you see how important this is? Please! I beg you. We just want our other son to be home as well."
"Dad-" Damien looked up with tears in his eyes. They stared at each other for an endless minute, where Lily gripped the edge of the table hard. This was their only way- "Give me the bloody phone then."
xxx
They reappeared in a dusty street. James took a look around at once, searching for cover and for enemies. There was no one there. He nodded at Lily and she loosened her grip on Damien slightly. Remus and Sirius had decided to stay behind. They hadn't wanted to disrupt this family moment. James had told them that they were family but maybe it was really better that it was just the three of them. His heart was beating fast. Harry had told Damien where he was. Damien had said it was an emergency. That he needed to see him. James had nearly told Damien to ask Harry to come home but he hadn't. Too suspicious. They hadn't wasted another minute before apparating here.
James took another look around before they made their way down the street and to the address Harry had told Damien. It was a small, worn out building. Harry was indeed hiding in the Muggle world. Damien led them through a small foyer and up the stairs.
"Harry said its room number 5." He said, turning around. James nodded and followed him as did Lily. After reaching the next floor, James decided that it was not a very nice place to stay. It didn't look that safe either. His worry increased as did his heartbeat. Finally Damien stopped before a door, giving them a last troubled look. James nodded and Damien knocked. There was a moment of silence before the door opened. James could barley look at Harry before the door was slammed shut again.
"Harry?" he asked quietly. "Please open the door."
"What do you want?" asked Harry from the other side. "Did you decide that if I don't come home, you will come to me? Did you bring some more Aurors to make sure that I really come?"
"Harry, no! Of course not. We would never do that. You are part of our family." James stepped nearer to the door. "Please, Harry, we want to talk to you."
"Please, Harry, sweetie, open the door." said Lily, her voice laced with desperation.
There was a tense moment of silence before Harry opened the door a crack. His eyes swapped over them all, settling on Damien – who swallowed nervously – before he opened the door wide. They entered and Harry closed the door behind them. Harry had just turned around, facing them again and opened his mouth, when Lily stepped over and hugged him.
"It's so good to see you." She said quietly.
Harry stood there awkwardly, patting her back. "It's okay."
She pulled back and smiled up at him. Tenderly she reached up and James watched as she caressed his cheek, her fingers trailing the hints of dark circles under his eyes. "You look tired." She observed, while brushing some of his locks aside. Harry took a step back and Lily dropped her hand.
"I-" He began but broke off. He looked uncomfortable.
"It's so unreal." She said, still staring at him. James couldn't agree more. It was unreal, standing here in a room with him, for the first time not fearing that he would attack, knowing that he didn't hate them.
"I don't need to ask how you found me." Harry finally said, crossing his arms and glaring at Damien.
"I'm sorry. I- they-" Damien shuffled his feet and looked to the ground.
"It's not his fault. I begged him to call you after we found out you gave him the mobile phone." explained James.
"He just wanted to make us all happy." added Lily.
Harry's glare didn't weaken. "How did they find out?" He asked, ignoring them and concentrating on Damien only.
"They somehow found out the number of the mobile phone you gave me. I thought it was you and answered their call. I- they- I couldn't help but tell them how you gave me the phone after Christmas for emergencies. I'm so sorry. I didn't want to."
Harry's glare didn't weaken. "And why did you call me, saying it's important...?"
"I-Harry- I couldn't not do it. You should have seen their faces. I-" Damien shrunk from Harry's glare.
"I trusted you with this." Harry said his voice cold.
"Now, Harry, it isn't his fault." interrupted James, taking pity. Damien hadn't told them but he didn't deserve Harry's anger. "What were you thinking anyway? You should have told us about the mobile phone!"
Harry turned towards him. "You would have never agreed to me staying away."
"Of course not! You should be home, safe. Not here-" James made a wide gesture, taking another look around.
Harry's eyes turned even colder and when Lily reached for him again, he stepped away, his arms still crossed. "And as I said before: I can't. You just don't understand it."
"Of course we do. Harry, can you really fault us for wanting you at home?" asked Lily desperate.
Harry didn't look at her but his glare seemed to weaken slightly. James was about to open his mouth, to argue further, to make him finally agree but Harry was faster. "How did you find out the number anyway?"
"We found Amy Jackson." stated James.
Harry's eyebrow rose. "Oh, you did?" He asked, sounding not nearly as surprised as James would have guessed.
"Yes... is she your girlfriend?" he asked, trying a smile.
"No."
James frowned. "She seemed to think so- or not. She seemed confused."
"She is not." Harry pressed his lips together. "How did you find out about her?"
"We found out about your alias 'Alex' from your Pensieve and searched for you. Someone mentioned Amy." explained James. His eyes landed on the silver ring on Harry's finger. "How did you get it back?"
Harry smirked, looking down at the ring. "Dumbledore's security leaves something to be desired."
James traded an awkward look with Lily. He wanted to argue for Albus but decided against it. Now was not the time to change Harry's view on Dumbledore. A tense silence overcame them. James shuffled his feet, trying to find a way to convince him to go with them. It was broken by someone knocking at the door. Whoever it was seemed to be in a hurry because he or she knocked four times in a row with just a little pause.
"Are you expecting someone?" asked Lily politely.
He or she knocked again. Harry sighed nearly inaudible. He seemed unsure for a moment, clearly thinking about something. "Yes, I'll be back in a second."
James narrowed his eyes. "How do we know you are not running?"
Harry clicked his tongue. "My things are here, are they not?" James took a look around. "And you can just trust me."
Before one of them could say anything else he had opened the door and stepped outside, closing it swiftly behind him. There were lowered voices outside for a moment before light footsteps signalled that someone was walking away. The door opened again and Harry reappeared.
"A girl?" asked James, trying to defuse the tension.
"What does it matter?" snapped Harry.
"We are just interested in your life, Harry." said Lily softly. James nodded.
"It doesn't matter."
"It does!" For a moment they just looked at each other, before Lily continued. "Harry we are here to take you home. We want to keep you safe. After all that happened you deserve it. We all deserve it. You can't stay away and on the run forever."
"I can't come." He crossed his arms again.
"Harry, please, we will help hide you. We won't tell the Ministry."
"And how is that possible?" asked Harry sarcastically. "He is working for them." He gestured to James. "Your Order is working for them."
"We are not working for the Ministry! We are working for the Light. We are the light side." argued James furiously.
"It's too dangerous for me to come! Of course everybody would look there." More quietly he added. "As I told Dad, I don't want to be even more trouble for you."
"You are our son, Harry. You are no trouble for us, sweetie. You will never be trouble for us." Lily said, stepping closer to him once again.
He didn't step back but he shook his head. "I can't come anyway. I have something to do."
"What do you have to do, Harry?" asked James confused.
"Something very important." Harry's eyes flashed. "And you have more important things to do than search for me."
"There is nothing more important than our children!" said Lily, crossing her arms as well. "Harry, we love you. We want to keep you safe."
James watched Harry swallowing and closing his eyes shortly. With a jolt he realised that this was probably the first time Harry heard Lily say that she loved him. "Yes, Harry, we love you." He said as well. Damien nodded furiously but kept quiet.
"I can't come home. Why can't you see that? I thought you to be more intelligent."
"It is probably not the easiest way." confessed Lily. "But can't you see our point? We want you home. We want you there: finally! After all those years-"
"Don't." He said sharply. "Don't go there. I won't come. There is something I have to do. Maybe after that..."
"After what?" asked James.
"I can't tell you. No one can know."
"Harry..." pleaded Lily. James saw tears forming in his wife's eyes. He stepped over to her, pulling her against him, hugging her.
"No. I won't come."
"We will force you then." said James, staring at Harry over Lily's head.
For a moment Harry stared at James before he drew back his head and laughed dryly. "Oh yeah, that went really well last time, didn't it?" He asked sarcastically. "You have to realise that you can't do that."
"Harry..." Lily shook in his arms.
"Don't you see what you are doing to us?" asked James, his voice filled with desperation.
Harry stared at them, before rubbing his eyes and sighing deeply. "And can't you understand my point? I can't come! They will catch me. And you can't force me! Even if you somehow manage to get me home, I will just escape! What do you want to do? Lock me in a room? Tie me to a chair?" His voice was bitter.
James closed his eyes, the memories welling up inside of him. What had he done? Harry didn't want to come home and he was right. They couldn't lock him in there as much as they wanted to.
Lily seemed to come to the same conclusion. She stepped out of his arms. "What can we do then? How can we help you?"
"Stop looking for me. Don't tell anyone where I am. I will move immediately after you leave, of course, but don't give anyone any hints how to find me. You never know who is working for which side."
James wanted to protest, wanted to defend his friends and the other Order members but Lily nodded. "We will do that. What else? Is there something?"
Harry seemed to think about something, obviously struggling with a thought.
"What is with the Ministry?" asked Damien. They turned towards him, surprised.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Dad... you said that the Order is trying to stop a Death Eater from becoming the next Minister of Magic."
James nodded. "Of course we are. We can't let them get away with that."
Damien focused on Harry only. "Who is the Death Eater candidate?"
James stared from Damien to Harry. He hadn't thought about asking Harry that. They thought it to be obvious who it was but they weren't sure. With Harry telling them, they could be sure. They could contact Dumbledore. They could actively work against the Death Eater. They could try to stop the Ministry from searching for Harry if the Minister was a member of the Order... the possibilities...
He fixed in his eyes on Harry. "Who is it?"
Harry gave each of them a long look before he gritted his teeth.
"Do you even know?"
Harry nodded. "Of course." But he didn't say the name. He seemed to struggle. Harry closed his eyes. But what was there left to struggle? What was there to think about? He wasn't on the dark side anymore.
"Tell us!" James paused. "Please."
When Harry opened his eyes, they were glowing with hate. The look that he had sent them only weeks ago, every time he looked at them. "Pius Thicknesse."
xxx
Damien couldn't believe how very lucky he had been. He had survived both Harry's and his father's anger. That was until he noticed that he had no way to reach Harry again. He was at that moment sitting with Ron and Hermione in Ron's room at the Burrow. Luckily his parents knew nothing about their involvement or they probably wouldn't have been able to meet again.
"Dad kept the mobile phone." He explained miserably to Hermione and Ron after he had told them what had happened.
"We will have to visit Harry and Ginny then before they move again." said Hermione.
"Too late." Damien sighed. "Harry said they would move immediately after we left. I don't expect they stayed. There was no way I could let him know to stay after all. They didn't leave me alone with him for a second."
Ron frowned. "That's bloody stupid."
"Ron!" scolded Hermione him. "There has to be a way..."
"I can't think of one! I mean Dad has the mobile phone and it would be suicidal to ask and I can't just take it because he would notice... and of course suspect me. Nothing surprising about that. Who else would take it after all?"
Hermione stared out of the window, clearly thinking about something. "We have to nick it." She finally declared.
"Hermione, I can't do that! We can't do that! You didn't see my Dad. Should he ever get wind of this, I'm dead for real!" said Damien with wide eyes.
"But we want to help Harry and we can't if we don't know where they are!" said Hermione, willing him to see reason.
"Yes, I know but we have to find another way!" argued Damien.
"There is no other way, Damien." agreed Ron with Hermione. She gave him a grateful smile.
"But-"
"Damien, I never said we would keep it... we just have to call Harry once." said Hermione.
"And then? They said they'll move a lot and we can't-"
"Damien" interrupted Hermione. "I can get a mobile phone. We only have to tell Harry the new number and your parents will never know."
"But we will have to find the phone for that."
"Oh come on, that can't be that difficult."
xxx
It was indeed much easier than Damien had thought. Of course his Dad had hidden it. But he had hidden it so Damien couldn't find it. He had never guessed Hermione to try. All it had taken her were a few spells before she had found a small carton protected by a Notice-Me-Not charm. Damien had called Harry and told him the new number. Then they had placed the mobile phone back inside the carton.
Harry contacted them not long after that, telling Hermione when and where to meet them next. It was where they were now. Damien knocked, taking another look around. He didn't want to risk being followed again.
"Who's there?" asked Harry from the other side.
"Ron and Hermione and me: Damien." He paused. "I called you to ask for your new number. Hermione called you after that asking where you stay. You said the password is Devil's Snare. I have no idea why you chose that but-"
Harry opened the door. "Because I'll strangle you just as painfully if there is someone else with you again." Damien blinked, looking into pale-gray eyes and a face that was not Harry's.
"Disguise?" he asked.
Harry nodded and opened the door further, letting them enter while he stepped outside. They walked into the room, Damien being the first to spot Ginny. She was lying on her stomach on the bed, her feet in the air, propped up on her elbows.
"Thank Merlin you are here!" she said. "You are my saviours!" She pointed towards a book, lying in front of her on the bed. "I have to study." The way she said it, she nearly sounded like Ron. Damien grinned. Ron looked horrified.
Hermione smiled. "That's a very good thing, Ginny. You are missing very important points in your education. What are you working on?"
Ginny grimaced. "Defence."
"At least you don't have Hermione breathing down your neck." muttered Ron.
Hermione glared at him and was about to say something but Ginny was faster. "Believe me, Harry is no better."
"At what am I not better?" asked Harry, reappearing in the room, closing the door behind him. "Looks like no one followed you this time." He gave Damien a pointed look.
"No one will follow me again!" said Damien, crossing his arms.
Harry lifted an eyebrow. "Didn't you have that plan last time as well?"
Damien glared at him and opened his mouth, ready to explain how exactly it had happened but Ginny was faster. "You are a horrible teacher."
Harry turned towards her. "You are the worst student I have ever had." Damien smiled at her gratefully, glad that she had taken his attention away from him.
"I am the only one you ever taught, so you don't have anyone to compare me too.
Therefore I am the best student you have ever had." She smirked. Damien watched them confused.
"Nice theory." He paused. "Not true."
"Who else did you teach then?" she asked interested.
"Draco. A thing or two." He smirked. "And believe me, even on his worst days he was better than you."
Damien frowned. Were they fighting now? Ron narrowed his eyes. "You can't compare her to-" But they didn't even look at him.
Ginny chucked her pen at Harry. It missed him. "And you are a horrible chaser as well. You can't even hit me." Ron opened his mouth again but Damien shook his head. He wanted to see what they came up with next. Hermione shifted, clearly not knowing what to do or say.
Ginny sat up. "Because you cheated, idiot! You moved!"
"We didn't agree on rules, therefore I didn't cheat." Ginny pursed her lips and crossed her arms. Harry grinned and the tension was lifted. "I win." He said, sitting down in the chair right next to the bed where he, most likely, sat before they had come. He put his feet on the bed - only then did Damien notice that he wasn't wearing shoes - and looked at Ginny who hadn't changed her position. They stared at each other.
"You only win if the game is over and it's not." She finally said.
"You didn't say anything, therefore its over."
"We didn't agree on rules, therefore I can react however and whenever I want." She said throwing his words back at him.
"And what are you going to do besides insulting me? Attack me?" He asked mockingly.
"I could. I can after all do magic."
"Oh really? You can do magic?" He asked sarcastically.
"Let me get this right: I can do magic without being tracked." She grinned triumphantly.
"I can as well. I could blast you across the room only moving a finger. You wouldn't even be able to-"
"You know, guys, we are still here." said Damien finally. Both of them looked up.
"And we really should start. We can't stay that long without someone noticing." added Hermione, nervously checking her watch.
"Sorry guys." Ginny blushed.
"And you shouldn't talk about attacking her!" said Ron, pointing at Harry. Harry lifted his eyebrow.
"He was only joking, Ron." explained Ginny, rolling her eyes.
Ron and Harry both opened their mouths. Damien hastily said: "Okay, right, can we start then?"
Harry waved his hand and the drawer and the bedside tables were transfigured into chairs. Hermione looked delighted. "How do you do that exactly? I read that you need to-"
"I thought you were in a hurry?" Ginny asked her grinning.
Hermione looked startled. "Sorry." She muttered, while sitting down. Damien and Ron sat as well and for a moment they all stared at each other before their eyes settled on Harry. He sat straighter and dropped his feet to the ground.
"Right, first things first. While some of you may think that I'm out to kill Voldemort that is not the case." He said, looking at Ginny shortly. Damien nodded. Harry had told him so. Hermione and Ron looked startled. Hermione was about to open her mouth but Harry continued. "I'm not anyone's soldier, not Voldemort's and certainly not Dumbledore's. I don't care about the wizarding world. I don't care about this war. Whatever I plan on doing against Voldemort is for pure and simple revenge. He took away my life, by stealing me from my family, so I'm going to take away his life, literally." He paused and looked at them.
Ron looked as confused as Damien felt, while Hermione had that look on her face she only used for solving complicated questions.
"He is immortal." explained Ginny. Harry glared at her. She shrugged and grinned.
"He has made Horcruxes. Those are objects that have a piece of his soul in them. This way-"
"Ergh!" yelled Ginny. She stared at Harry, disgust clearly visible on her face and in her voice. "They contain part of his soul?"
The others looked confused, while Harry just stared at her. "Didn't I tell you?"
"No!" She looked horrified. "Why didn't you tell me? I touched it." She shuddered and stared down at her hands. "I had one around my neck-" She stood up and jumped from the bed. "I'm taking a shower." She walked to the bathroom door.
"What? You can't just use my bathroom!" called Harry after her but she was already inside.
"You better not tell them something I don't know yet!" She slammed the door shut. Harry stared after her.
Damien chuckled. Harry's eyes focused on him. "She won that round." He said cheekily.
Harry glared at him.
"So you have one of those Horcruxes? How do they work exactly? What does one look like? Can I see it? Why does no one know? Why do you want them? Why does he use them? Are there other ways-"
"Hermione, breathe!" said Ron but looked interested at Harry nonetheless.
Harry glanced at the bathroom door again before focusing on them. "If anyone tries to attack him while these Horcruxes are safe, Voldemort can't be killed. What I plan on doing is finding and destroying the Horcruxes, making Voldemort mortal again. His Horcruxes are his life. I plan on destroying them, just like he destroyed my life. You can call it poetic justice if you like." Hermione looked like there were wheels turning in her head while Ron looked awed. "He has made six Horcruxes; one part of his soul was inside a silver pendant that belonged to Salazar Slytherin. Another one was inside a ring that Bella wears. We don't need to worry about them."
"Why, what happened to them?" asked Ron.
"I destroyed them."
Ron looked at Harry in wonder. "You…you did? When?"
"Why does it matter?" Harry snapped at him. He took a deep breath. "It's just…they are not my fondest memories." Ron nodded and Harry continued: "So, that leaves four Horcruxes. What they are and where they are placed, I have no idea." Harry finished. "They are probably powerful, important artefacts that mean something to him personally. They are most likely hidden very carefully with heavy protection measures."
Hermione's head snapped up to look at Harry. "That's all? You don't know what or where these Horcruxes are? How were you planning on finding them?" she asked disappointed.
"I went through the people he trusts the most, seeing as I had one. I was right. Bella had one as well."
"So we will go through the people he trusts and find them?" asked Ron.
"Too easy. He will have hidden and protected them differently to avoid someone being able to find them all."
Hermione looked thoughtfully into the distance. "Horcruxes. Horkruxes... I've heard about them or at least I've heard the name being mentioned before, but I can't remember where."
"Very unlikely. Hogwarts wouldn't teach you anything about them. It's the darkest of magic. In order to make a Horcrux, you have to take a life. It has to be done in cold blood." explained Harry.
Hermione continued to look thoughtful, her brown eyes were narrowed, and her brows were knitted. Damien tried to think of a situation where she could have heard about them but the word sounded not familiar to him at all.
Suddenly she let out a small 'oh!' and looked excitedly over at Ron. "Remember that time when we were studying at the Burrow? Fred and George said that they were trying to use the Extendable Ears on the Order meeting the night before. They mentioned Horcruxes! Remember they thought it was such a funny word. They started sniggering when they heard the word being mentioned and your mum heard them and then confiscated the Extendable Ears and threw them out, before they could hear anymore about what these Horcruxes were. Don't you remember?"
Ron looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yeah, actually I do. They thought Horcruxes were small animals with fangs and that the Order was planning on setting them loose on the Death Eaters…" Ron trailed off and looked at Harry embarrassed. Harry looked back annoyed. "They were joking, obviously."
"Obviously." Harry repeated sarcastically.
"Anyway, moving on." Damien prompted, looking at Harry.
But it was Hermione who spoke. "Yes, um…so this means that Dumbledore and the Order know something about these Horcruxes. They're probably trying to find them as well."
"Well, they won't be getting their hands on them. Those Horcruxes are going to be destroyed by me, only me." Harry said confidently. "You wanted to help me, right?"
The three teens nodded their heads slowly, trading curious glances, wondering what Harry was going to make them do.
"Alright, I've got your first mission." Harry leant forward in his chair. They followed his example. "Bring me all the information the Order has on Horcruxes."
They leant back surprised, trading another look. "Wow... difficult." said Ron.
"I never said it would be easy, did I?" asked Harry, lifting an eyebrow. "You can contact me... I mean us again, when you managed."
Damien's thoughts were racing. They had to find a way. They had to plan this carefully. Figure out if they kept the information, where they did- the bathroom door opened and Ginny emerged. She was drying her hair with a towel. "What did I miss?"
"We have to find out what the Order knows about Horcruxes." explained Ron.
Ginny frowned. "How do you know they know something about them?" She asked, while walking over to the bed, sitting down.
"Extendable Ears." said Ron.
Ginny nodded. "Anything else?"
"Don't know what you already know." Ron shrugged. Damien looked over to Harry. Harry was staring at Ginny. His eyes followed her hands as she rubbed the towel through her hair again. Damien grinned. Ginny turned around and their eyes met. They looked at each other a moment before Harry turned away.
"What?" asked Ginny.
Harry shook his head. "Memory."
"Huh?" She looked totally confused. "What did you tell them about a memory?"
"You reminded me-" He shook his head. "Forget it. I didn't tell them anything new you need to know."
Ginny still looked confused. "Okay." She said slowly, stroking back some strands of her still wet hair. She froze. "Oh." They watched as she flushed bright red. "Oh." She said more loudly. Harry's lips twitched.
"Someone going to tell us?" asked Damien grinning.
Ginny's eyes snapped back at them. "No!" she said forcefully.
"I don't know if I want to know anyway." said Damien, giving them both a pointed look before his grin widened.
Ron looked disgruntled but said nothing while Hermione looked down at her watch again. "I think we really should get going." She stood up. The others did as well. While Ginny hugged Ron and Hermione, Harry pulled Damien aside.
"Did they really stop trying to bring me home?" he asked quietly.
Damien nodded. "As far as I know they work with the Order to avoid Thicknesse becoming Minister."
"Good." said Harry. "Tell me if you think they try to find me again, okay? They got really close to find out about Ginny last time."
"I thought so. She was the one to knock, wasn't she?"
Harry nodded. "But it doesn't matter. They didn't find out." Harry paused. "There is something else you can do for me. I thought about asking Dad but..."
"What is it?" asked Damien curiously.
"Dad has my first, my real wand somewhere. Can you take a look around?"
Damien stared at him. "Why didn't you ask Dad?"
"I don't want to have to meet him again. He could be too tempted to try something."
"But Harry, he said he wouldn't-"
"I don't want to risk it. Will you look for it?"
Damien took a deep breath. "Okay... but listen to me... be careful, okay?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course, I'm not stupid."
Damien gave Harry a quick hug. "You could have fooled me." Before he could protest, he walked over to Ginny and hugged her goodbye as well. He wrinkled his nose when he did. "You smell like Harry now."
Ginny grimaced but her eyes were sparkling. "Yeah, I know." She paused. "Good luck with your mission."
"We can really use that." said Ron who was watching Harry carefully.
"Oh, I don't know. I've got some ideas already." said Hermione, sounding really excited.