A/N.- Yeah, finally, after being late yet again (-shields himself with his arms- don't AK me please) here's another chappie, hope you like it. I finally decided to write again after a burst of inspiration ended my writer's block, added to the fact that I just saw the OotP movie...IT'S BLOODY AWESOME!!! -sob- gonna miss Padfoot...
Disclaimer: I hope you're all aware that Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling...
Chapter 29.- The Lion's Den
"Well…I guess you guys got yourself a leader" He said with a wide grin and was received with cheers from all the members.
"You made the right choice master" Fawkes said inside Harry's head
"Thanks Fawkes" Harry replied smiling at the beautiful crimson and gold bird.
"So…what else were you guys talking about before we got here?" Harry said with a let's-get-back-to-business voice tone.
"The recent attacks and the Horcrux we have. It's your call which one we'll discuss first Potter"
Harry frowned for a moment before voicing his vote "Let's talk about the attacks first" and his two co-leaders nodded in agreement as did everyone else.
"Well" Remus began "In the past 6 months there's been several random attacks in muggle households, including the one in Hermione's, as well as two major attacks, the one in Diagon Alley the day after Christmas and the one at King Street about a week ago" He informed as he pointed at several points in a map of England pinned to a wall. "And at least one of us has been in the last three"
Harry nodded; he and Hermione had been in all three and the more he kept analyzing them the more he seemed to confirm his theory.
"Remus" He voiced, before the werewolf started again "Before anything else, let's focus in those last three, the ones in Diagon, King and Mione's house please"
"What's so important about those three Potter?" Moody growled
"Well, they were the two major ones and the only other one we've had witnesses in, as Remus already said" Harry replied "now…" He motioned his wand towards the board behind him and names appeared on it. "…these are the Dung Eaters (several members chuckled at the name) I remember being in those attacks, anyone else remembers someone please add their names to the board" Three or four more names appeared in the board, which Harry wasn't familiar with. "Well…notice anything out of place here?" He said motioning at the names.
"Yes, that Malfoy and Greyback were the only ones that belonged to You-Know-Who's inner circle" Giselle noticed.
"That's true, and even they were amongst the lowest-ranked of the inner circle" Tonks completed.
Everyone else seemed to notice that.
"Well, this can only mean something…" Ron said "He was testing us"
"Yeah, maybe you're right, he wouldn't risk his highest ranked in an all-out fight unless he's sure he'll win." Hermione reasoned.
Harry nodded "That's why there has been no sign of Snivellus or Trixie" He spat the names with sheer disgust. "Also it'd be useful for him to know how strong the order is this time"
"Well, he knows we can beat the tar out of most of his minions, and that wasn't even half the order though" Tonks said.
"True as it might be, I might venture a guess that not even the three attacks combined put the slightest dent in his lines" Harry thought moodily.
"Numbers do not win a battle Potter" Moody lectured him
"No…but I bet they help" Harry replied "Anyway, I say we should be ready when anything else happens, we don't know when his best, or is it worst, minions will show up"
Everyone nodded in agreement
"If there is one chance to tell them about the basilisk armors…" Hermione reminded him "…this is it"
"And by the way, do you remember what I suggested to you before the King Street battle Bill?"
"What, the basiliskhide armors?" Bill asked surprised that Harry had remembered, and received a nod from the raven-haired boy
"But they'd be impossible to get" McGonagall said
"Not quite Minerva" Hermione contradicted her and then quoted "Enemies of the Heir, beware"
"Slytherin's basilisk" She gasped, how could she forget "I guess its skin hasn't decomposed yet?"
"I suppose not, but I can always check the chamber can't I?" Harry replied, but when he looked around the room he noticed Ginny was slightly trembling. "You alright Ginny?"
The girl nodded, but Harry could see she was anything but alright so he walked towards her and by merely looking in her eyes he knew what was bothering her and wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. "Hey, it's OK little sis, that piece of him is gone forever"
"I know he is…but still I sometimes relive those days in my nightmares…hearing him inside my head…" Ginny said between sobs
"Don't worry, we'll defeat him and won't have to think of him ever again, alright?"
The young redhead nodded to his shoulder and continued sobbing there so he sat on her chair and set her on his lap while trying to comfort her.
"Hope you don't mind if I do this love" He asked Hermione.
"Not at all, now be a good big brother and try to comfort her" The girl replied nodding.
"So…" Harry said, getting back to the topic "When can we…oh no…"
"What is it Harry?" McGonagall asked
"Back in second year, when that idiot Lockhart's spell backfired, there was a cave-in in the tunnel before the Chamber's door"
Bill suggested that he could get some goblins to work on the tunnel and to search the whole area to make it more secure and they all agreed as well as they agreed with Charlie that they'd make the armors once the cave-in was cleared. After a while Ginny cried herself to sleep in Harry's arms, so he took her to the nearest bedroom. When he got back they resumed the meeting, but it was nearing dinnertime, and they were steadily getting hungrier so Harry got an idea, but wasn't sure it'd work though; anyway he called out "Dobby"
The house elf immediately appeared with an eager look in his eyes "Did Harry Potter call for Dobby sir?"
"Yeah, I did, could you please get us something to drink and eat?"
"Dobby will do as Harry Potter wishes" With that he disappeared and several minutes later glasses of firewhiskey, bottles of butterbeer and pitchers of pumpkin juice and tea appeared along with several appetizers which started to be devoured mercilessly by Ron, until he started choking on one, Harry simply pointed his hand at him and said "Anapneo" while Hermione rolled her eyes and said "Honestly Ron…"
Everyone laughed at the blushing redhead before they settled down again and directed their attention to the cup that now sat in the middle of the table.
"Is it…?" Harry asked openly
"Check it yourself" Bill replied, and Harry immediately turned to look at Hermione.
She raised her wand, pointing it at the cup and incanted "Aperio Acerbus Anima" With the result being the cup shaking badly and glowing black. "BLACK?!" Hermione asked disbelievingly "No doubt there that it is Voldemort's" Almost everyone in the room shuddered at the name.
"Why hasn't anyone destroyed it?" Harry asked curiously
"Can't" Moody growled "That's why we're discussing it in a major meeting"
"What d'you mean can't?" Harry asked back
"Got a ton of weird charms we can't override" Tonks offered "Stupid cup…"
"Mind if I keep it for a while?" Harry asked tentatively
"Why?"
"See if I can do something to it. Perhaps you need to do something in Parseltongue or something" Harry suggested
"Hey…you're the boss remember? You can do as you wish" Lupin reminded him
"Yeah, but we're a team also…everyone must agree" Harry countered
"We trust your judgment Harry, besides you got Ron and Hermione to help you" Arthur Weasley encouraged him.
"Thanks Mr. Weasley"
"It's Arthur, Harry" Arthur corrected him
Harry sighed "You know, it's kinda hard getting used to call all of you by your first names after so long so please forgive me if I refrain from doing so from time to time" Arthur simply nodded at his request and handed Harry the cup.
After what felt like an eternity to him, Ron stole a glance at his watch and nearly fell from his chair "Bloody hell!" Everyone turned to look at him as he quoted his signature phrase "Has anyone even cared to look at the time?" everyone shook their heads "It's nearly midnight you lot"
"Shit" Hermione cursed and many people gaped at her…no one had ever heard her curse before, save for Harry. "You're right Ron, and we REALLY need to go back now, we got classes tomorrow, and still have to make rounds and…" She was quickly silenced by Harry.
When they broke apart he said "You know Mione, school's not everything"
"I know but…" Harry now placed a finger in front of her lips.
"She's right though, we really should get going"
There were murmurs of agreement and the various members of the order started heading towards either the door or the fireplace. Harry went to fetch Ginny and as soon as he appeared with her in arms Fawkes flew towards him and perched on his shoulder.
"Would you like me to take you and your friends to Hogwarts master?" He offered in Harry's head.
"Can you take six persons at the same time?"
"Of course I can, now, tell everyone to grab hold of each other"
Harry nodded and relayed Fawkes's instructions to Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna and they obeyed at once. Since Harry was still carrying Ginny, Hermione held onto his right arm, while Luna held onto his left one and used her other hand to lace her fingers with Ron's (ignoring completely his shocked face) while Hermione held Neville's hand and in a whirl of flames they all left Harry's house to head for Hogwarts.
When they arrived, they all bade good night to each other, and Luna immediately set off towards the Ravenclaw tower; Ron, Ginny (half asleep) and Neville headed for the Gryffindor one and Harry and Hermione set off towards their own tower, not without making their rounds first, while Fawkes flew away only he knows where.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
-beep beep- -beep beep- "God I hate that sound" Hermione thought for herself while she was woken up by Harry's wristwatch alarm as usual while he turned it off.
"You're not the only one love, but otherwise we wouldn't wake up" He thought back since he still wasn't awake enough to speak coherently.
"You're right" She said as she kissed his cheek and headed for the shower in her former room's bathroom.
Harry groggily sat on his bedside, stretched, yawned and headed for his own shower to get ready for the day.
As the two of them entered the Great Hall they found Ron already overstuffing his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in months, with Ginny and Neville at either side of him. As they sat down however, he was not the only one to display weird eating habits, since Hermione came up with the weirdest food combinations due to her pregnancy cravings. Harry was eating his own scrambled eggs with bacon when he noticed Ron doing something he, Harry, used to do a lot in his fourth year.
"So…anything interesting at the Ravenclaw table Ron?" He asked teasingly, making him almost choke in his food. "Anapneo"
"Th…thanks…what did you just say?" He asked as soon as he regained his breathing ability
"He's right Ron; you've been stealing glances at the Ravenclaw table every now and then" Ginny seconded.
"What do you mean? I haven't" Ron replied, casting another really quick glance that way.
"There, you did it again Ron, better save yourself the denial and tell us who you fancy" Ginny replied, getting a faint suspicion as to who that might be.
"H-how can you be so sure I'm looking at the Ravenclaw table, h-how d'you know it's not Hufflepuff's" Ron stammered, not managing to hide his blush.
"I'd say you have a point there Ron, but you just blushed, which means you ARE looking at the Ravenclaw table" Hermione pointed out
"So, tell us Ron…who is it?" Ginny asked "Is it Padma? Mandy, Lisa, Luna, Su…LUNA?!" She yelled as she had seen his eyes get a sort of twinkle at the mention of the blonde's name, making him blush even deeper.
"Oh…Ronnie lurves Loony!" Harry said in a mock sing-song voice
"Shut up Harry!" Ron said tossing him a rather large piece of bacon that Harry caught easily with his seeker reflexes and then shoved it in his mouth. "Found anything about the cup yet?" Ron asked trying to change the topic.
"Ron, I fell asleep half a millisecond after my head touched the pillow so no, I haven't" Harry said "But that's not what we were talking about y'know" He then added smirking at Ron.
Ron simply groaned and left for their first lesson, while Ginny smirked and said in a hushed voice "Yep, he likes Luna…" While the other two nodded in agreement.
"Should we tell her?" Hermione asked, a mischievous gleam in her eyes
"Nah, let's leave her in blissful ignorance" Harry replied "Let's see how long does it take for Ron to gather enough bullocks to ask her out" he smirked while Ginny started giggling
"This ought to be fun to see" The other two nodded
---------------------------------------------------------------
Harry was alone in his and Hermione's common room staring at the cup, transfixed and in deep thought when Hermione found him like that a couple of weeks later.
"Is something wrong love?" She asked concerned as she sat on his lap.
"Besides this bloody cup, everything's brilliant, including work down in the Chamber" He replied, the first part frustrated, the latter a bit more exited.
"Still no progress?" She asked, motioning at the cup
Harry sighed "Got rid of a couple of rather basic curses, but that doesn't even put a dent on its protections"
Hermione frowned and then started weaving her wand in front of the Horcrux sometimes muttering to herself, sometimes saying nothing, until she sighed and gave up. "You're right; this thing is way more protected than a Swiss bank account…shit, be right back" Without further ado she darted into the bathroom to throw up. The last weeks her morning sickness had become more frequent (and not only limited to mornings) also she had started to sleep a lot, she even dozed off in classes, but the teachers, knowing of her condition, let her do so.
While she was inside, Harry started weaving his wand in front of the cup again; trying everything he could think about, including addressing it in parseltongue, but to no avail. Finally he gave an exasperated sigh, placed it inside it's case, cast the usual security charms, and donned his cloak, at the same moment as his fiancée returned to where he was.
"Where are you going?" She asked, seeing him wearing his cloak and holding hers in his arms, and the Marauder's Map in his pocket, just in case.
"For a walk, care to join me?" He asked her, offering her her cloak, which she accepted and donned then headed hand in hand to the exit.
They walked through most of the castle, talking of anything and everything, even telling off a couple of sixth-years for snogging in the middle of a hallway and with Hermione now and then occasionally stealing a quick glance at the map before pocketing it again, still active.
On their way back, in the sixth floor corridor, they were talking about the incident in the lake back in October.
"Honestly Harry, you even made us stagger with all the raw magic you were…" Hermione stopped in mid-sentence since a couple of suits of armor presented their weapons to them and the wall between them slid apart to reveal a passageway. "H…Harry, where does this go?" She asked doubtfully
"Dunno, it's uncharted" Harry replied without even looking at the map, since they had both drummed it into their minds by now; he instinctively drew his wand and made to enter, Hermione followed him.
What began as a rather narrow walkway ended in a large room with red walls and matching furniture and a blazon with the Gryffindor crest hanging from a wall. It was simple, yet comfortable, there was a desk with a comfortable-looking armchair flanked by bookshelves and above it a portrait of a very famous and important wizard they both recognized at once. There was also a polished door and a fireplace that came to life as soon as the two teenagers entered it.
"Harry, what is this room?" Hermione asked and a voice from behind them said.
"That I can answer, fair maiden, but first I must inquire, who are thou and how did you enter this room?" Startled they turned around to find the portrait very awake and looking at them with a heavily inquisitive, yet no condemning, look.
"We're sorry sir, I'm Hermione Granger and this is Harry potter"
"I am honored to meet you. I am, or used to be rather, Lord Godric Gryffindor" The painting said while bowing at them, but the two teenagers had recognized him (or rather deducted who he was by simply looking at the room). "Now, please tell me how come you entered this room?"
"We don't know sir" Harry replied "We were walking past the two suits of armor outside and they just came to life and the wall opened"
"What exactly did you say before the sentries granted you entrance?"
"I said 'you even made us stagger with all the raw magic you were' and that's where the statues reacted" Hermione explained.
Godric frowned "So you said the password accidentally"
"The password?" Hermione asked while the portrait nodded.
"Yes, you see, even if you said it with another meaning, you said it clearly. The password to this room is 'Raw', which is the Elvish word for Lion"
"Elvish? You can speak Elvish sir?" Harry asked surprised.
"Yes, neth adan, I know the language of the Elves…or used to know it in life, but it's been nearly a thousand years since I last spoke it"
"I see, but what is this room anyway?" Hermione asked.
"This, van wen, used to be my quarters, back when this castle was young and we inhabited it. Are you interested in my book collection, Hermione?"
The girl, who was examining the books in the bookshelves, was startled by the portrait's use of her name. "Sorry sir, she likes to read a lot, and as soon as she sees an unread book starts reading it" Harry explained.
"Aah, a curious and clever mind, like Rowena's I see, but your cloak bears my crest, so I assume my old hat placed you in my house?"
Hermione nodded "Yes sir, we were both placed in your house by the Sorting Hat"
"I see, well van wen Hermione, would you like to read any of my books?"
Hermione's eyes widened and she had an excited look. "Really? Can I?! Thank you very much!" She said and immediately picked up a book and sat on the armchair to devour it while Harry kept talking to Godric Gryffindor's portrait.
"You know, it is good having you both here neth Harry, it's been over a century since anyone found my quarters; the last person to do so was the former headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and he kept visiting me here until he passed away" The portrait told Harry an hour after they entered the room.
"I see, well, I thank our luck we found it, but I'm afraid we have to leave"
"I understand, but please, feel free to visit me anytime"
"We will do so, sir" Harry nodded while Hermione marked her page and made to place the book back in the shelf.
"If you wish" Godric called her "You can take the book Hermione, just make sure you return it afterwards so others can read it as well"
Hermione squealed in delight as she also thanked the portrait and left the room with Harry.
As soon as they were out of the room they started walking again towards their tower, talking about their discovery until Hermione stole a quick peek at the map and froze in mid-sentence for the third time in the day. Harry noticed she stopped walking and turned around to find her with a shocked expression staring fixedly at the map.
"Mione, what's wrong?"
Hermione opened and closed her mouth a couple of times emitting no sound before fainting.
"HERMIONE!" Harry said and Neville, who was passing by stopped to see what was wrong.
"Harry, what's wrong with Hermione?"
"She just fainted" He said while he gently laid her down on the floor so he could see what had shocked her that much. He picked up the map and horror struck his face as well. There, on the area of the map depicting the top of the astronomy tower was a dot labeled 'Ginevra Weasley' cornered by dots labeled 'Blaise Zabini', 'Vincent Crabbe', 'Gregory Goyle', 'Millicent Bullstrode' and 'Pansy Parkinson'.
"HOLY ROYAL SHIT!" Harry swore yelling, then addressed Neville "Take Hermione to the Hospital Wing right away" before darting away towards that dreadful place he kept seeing in his nightmares, replaying in his dreams the death of Albus Dumbledore.
A/N.- Yup, another chapter done...was that too confusing? Hope not, but anyway I'll explain more as the story progresses so don't fret OK? By the way some of the words said by Gryffindor are in Sindarin, one of the two Elvish tongues featured in Lord of the Rings (The other one is Quenya) anyway, just so you know, I'll do as I usually do with spells or names, OK?
Elvish words:
Raw.- Lion
Neth.- Young
Adan.- Man
Van.- Fair
Wen.- Maiden
OK, now that that's settled, pleeeeaseee review, your comments motivate me to work and keep writing (NO FLAMES PLEASE!) thank you, come again. Ibris out.
