An Unexpected Turn of Events
Chapter Fifty-six
Waiting the week Tonks suggested was pure agony for Harry, he wanted to go as soon as possible but he did understand her warning of caution. He just didn't like it.
Soon enough the day arrived that Tonks had set as the day they would make an effort to steal the Cup. Harry watched the clock most of the morning till Ginny took him out for a walk to keep him distracted.
Hermione smiled as she watched them go, knowing that Ginny would take care of calming Harry down but she might have been a little shocked at what she actually did.
Ginny took Harry a short way behind the tent and started out by kissing him soundly. Harry moaned into her mouth as her tongue probed into his and fired his passion. Harry knew he'd never tire of Ginny and the way she could fire him up.
The next think he knew Ginny was rubbing his manhood through his jeans causing him to grow hard under her ministrations. Harry began to reciprocate by massaging her breasts through her jumper. He could feel her nipples grow hard and her pinched them firmly causing her to moan in return.
Ginny spun Harry around and pushed him up against a nearby tree. She gave him her blazing look that her was coming to know so well as she dropped to her knees and though it was quite cool out her unzipped his jeans to gain access to his throbbing manhood.
Harry sucked in air as the cool air hit his hot erection but then Ginny's hot mouth enveloped him causing him to groan out her name.
Ginny went quickly to work and her head bobbed up and down his shaft, she swirled her tongue every time she got to the top before plunging back down swallowing as much of him as she could fit.
"Sweet Merlin," Harry moaned. He looked down and stared at Ginny as she took him into her mouth. He found it so erotic to watch her as she licked and sucked his manhood. He was mesmerized by her radiant hair as it floated about her head as she moved it back and forth as she brought him closer to his climax.
His eyes drifted shut as his head fell back against the tree. "Oh Ginny!" he moaned out. "That feels so bloody fantastic," he groaned lowly.
Ginny chuckled adding an extra element of vibration to her ministrations. Her hands weren't idle either, one was wrapped about the shaft adding fiction as it slid up and down in time with her mouth, the other was massaging his sack through his jeans, heightening the sensations he was feeling.
Harry could feel the pressure building in his groin as Ginny increased her tempo. He reached don with one hand and laid it gently on her head. The silky texture of it added one more element of pleasure to what Harry was experiencing.
Finally Harry couldn't take it any longer and he felt himself explode into Ginny's eager mouth. She drove her mouth as far down his shaft as she could and received his essence in her throat.
Harry was spent and he relaxed against the tree as Ginny slowly kept up her ministrations as Harry softened. Once she was able she tucked his member back into his jeans and stood up next to him.
Harry wrapped his arms around her and drew her against him, kissing her deeply. "Godric, Ginny," he said. "You sure know how to turn me inside out." he said with a low chuckle.
Ginny smiled at him, "Feel better?" she asked.
"Better? How could I not feel better. Every time it seems to get better and better than before," he said to her, staring into her eyes. Harry was taken by the way the light twinkled in them, her smile shining through her eyes too.
He hugged her tightly overwhelmed by the love he felt for her. Looking deep into her eyes he ran his hand down through her hair and along her cheek, revelling in the soft smooth silkiness of both her hair and skin. Ginny stared back, their eyes locked. No words were needed at the moment as the love they felt was enough for the both of them.
Ginny finally broke eye contact and rested her head against Harry's chest. She took his hand and placed it up under her jumper touching her skin on her belly.
Harry felt the warm wonderful feeling he had felt before and this time he knew it was the life that grew within her. Ginny could feel it though Harry's hand and she smiled at the knowledge they shared.
"As weird as it sounds Harry," Ginny whispered, "I am so happy right now."
Harry kissed the top of her head, breathing in the wonderful flowery scent that he had come to associate with her. "I am too," he whispered back.
Ginny let go of his hand and took both of hers, placing them on his cheeks, drawing his lips down to hers, kissing him tenderly.
Harry returned the kiss, this wasn't a kiss of passion it was a kiss of eternal love that they held for one another. After what seemed an eternity they broke their kiss and hand in hand they made their way back toward the tent, it would soon be time for Harry and Tonks to leave for the Ministry of Magic.
Finally it was time to leave, it was late enough that almost all the normal Ministry workers would be gone for the day bit Kingsley should still be their. With a last kiss from Ginny and a wave to the others Harry and Tonks Apparated away.
Tonks and Harry arrived at the Ministry of Magic, the way things were going they didn't have much time before it would be next to impossible to get in undetected.
The arrived at the Auror Apparation point and as promised by Kingsley there was no guard.
"We have about half an hour Harry," Tonks said hurriedly. "Better put you cloak on now."
Harry took his Invisibility Cloak out and put it on, as he raised the hood he disappeared completely. Tonks nodded in satisfaction and morphed her features into Gawain Robards.
"That's just plain freaky," Harry whispered to her.
Tonks just chuckled, "Yeah but it's way better than using Poly Juice, it can't wear off."
Tonks and Harry made their way quickly up to Kingsley's office. She hoped he was free and would be able to help get them up and back into the Minister's office.
Their luck was holding so far as they were able to get up to his office unseen and his door was open.
Tonks entered and after giving Harry enough time to enter she closed the door.
Robards?" Kingsley said in surprise but he was more shocked when Tonks morphed back into herself.
"Hey King," she said nonchalantly.
"What are you doing back here? I got your message but couldn't believe you'd actually risk coming back here with all the new security," he said.
"I need to see that Cup one more time," she said urgently.
"What's so special about that Cup?" Kingsley asked.
"I can't tell you King," Tonks said.
Kingsley looked at her sceptically.
"Really King, you're better off not knowing for now. Please, it's really important or I wouldn't ask," Tonks pleaded.
Kingsley shook his head and muttered, "The things I do without knowing why. All right," he said. "Don't transform back into Robards. I'm pretty sure he's still in the building right now," he admonished.
Tonks grinned at Kingsley, "Guess it's a good thing I didn't run into him."
"Can you transform into anyone else in your department?" he asked.
"Yeah why?" Tonks asked.
"No visitors are allowed after hours any more," Kingsley said. "Another one of Thicknesse's new policies."
Tonks morphed into a mousy blond, "I'm a little taller than her but I know her best," Tonks said.
Tonks opened the door and paused till she felt Harry slip past her. Kingsley gave her a strange look. "Just thinking," Tonks told him to cover her action.
They moved quickly to the lifts and made their way up to the Minister of Magic's floor.
Kingsley poked his head out to make sure the coast was clear before he motioned for Tonks to exit. The door shut almost immediately behind her and she wasn't sure if Harry had made it off the lift till she felt a subtle tap on her arm and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"I just hope we can still get in," Kingsley said. With the new security they've been restricting access to a lot of places."
They made their way down the corridor without seeing anyone and the secretary's office was clear. Kingsley softly knocked on the door and when he received no response he tried opening the door. Kingsley smiled at her as he swung the door open.
Tonks followed him into the office and quickly made her way behind the desk. She made a big show of looking at the Cup carefully. She felt Harry tap her arm again and she headed back toward the door. She started to exit but stopped and turned back towards Kingsley.
"Thanks King but I'm pretty sure that's not the Cup we're looking for," she said as she watched the Cup rise from the shelf and disappear beneath Harry's cloak. She stalled a bit longer till she felt Harry slip past her once again.
Kingsley just shook his head and hurried Tonks from the room. They got back on the lift and Tonks began to think that they just might make it out of the Ministry free and clear.
Tonks' breath caught when the Lift stopped at the next floor and Gawain Robards got on. He saw who he thought was Miranda Pike and he scowled. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Shite!" thought Tonks but as she opened her mouth to reply Kingsley cut her off.
"I had her doing some work for me," Kingsley said.
Robards turned to Kingsley, "You know personnel requests are to come through department heads," he said affronted.
Kingsley looked at him, "As head of the MLE I have the authority to use any personnel I deem necessary in departments under my jurisdiction."
Still scowling Robards said, "Yes sir, but I'm supposed to be kept in the loop."
As the Lift descended Tonks hoped that no one would bump into Harry. She shifted over slightly, blocking the corner where she was sure he stood.
The Lift stopped and as the door opened Kingsley motioned for Tonks to leave while he kept talking to Robards. Tonks left quickly and she felt Harry right behind her. Checking her watch she saw they only had a few minutes to get to the Apparation Point and get away before the guard was to return.
They turned the last corner and the coast was still clear, fifty more feet and they'd be away. They walked swiftly and were just about there when she heard someone behind them.
"Stop!" she heard behind them.
Tonks stopped but she put her hand into her robe and on her wand. She then turned to see who was there. It was some Junior Auror who she didn't recognize.
"Oh it's you Miranda," the young Auror said. "What are you doing here so late?" he asked.
"I had to see Shacklebolt," she answered as they walked up to the guard desk.
The young Auror looked around, "I wonder where Walters is?" he asked. "I'm supposed to relieve him at Ten," he added as he checked his watch. "I'm a little early, I want to make a good impression."
Tonks smiled at the young man hoping to get away before anyone else showed up.
"I'm supposed to log anyone in or out," he said slowly as if unsure of what to do.
Tonks held her breath knowing if he logged her out it could cause problems for her co-worker.
Then the young Auror just shrugged, "You'd better get going. I'm not on duty for a few more minutes anyway. It's not my problem if the logs are wrong on someone else's shift," he said with a laugh.
Tonks breathed a sigh of relief and stepping to the Apparation point, she felt Harry tap her arm. With a wave to the young Auror she and Harry Apparated away.
XX
Dinner had been a quick subdued affair, Sarah was still feeling the time difference from Romania and felt like taking a nap. She had gone back into the bedroom to get a few things to put in the wash and when she returned to the kitchen Charlie was missing.
She did a quick look around in the house but didn't find him and she was just starting to get annoyed when she noticed out the back window that there was a light on in the shop / potting shed.
Sarah smiled to herself, she grabbed a coat and went out towards the shed. She slowly opened the door and she found Charlie busy working on a woodworking project.
"What cha making?" she asked with a smile.
Charlie smiled back, "Come take a look," he said.
Sarah made her way over to the work bench where Charlie had a set of plans unrolled. It took her a moment to figure the blueprints but the item finally made sense to her. "It's a cradle!" she exclaimed.
"That's right," Charlie said with a smile.
Sarah kept staring at the pieces that Charlie had all ready cut out. "I don't understand," she said with a small frown on her face. "You seem to have too many pieces."
Charlie chuckled, "That would be true if I were only building one cradle," he replied.
Sarah's face lit up, "You're making one for Bill and Fleur, aren't you?" she asked.
"That's right," Charlie replied. "It's easier to make two at the same time than one right after the other."
Sarah smiled at her husband, "That's great dear, I'm sure they'll love it."
Sarah went back in the house and made some hot chocolate for them. She then took the mugs back to to the shop and she sat there watching Charlie work on the cradles. She had to smile, he was working diligently but he had a small smile of his own as he worked.
It filled Sarah with a wonderful warm feeling, watching her husband build the cradles out of wood by hand. She could see the wood coming to life in Charlie's hands as he shaped and fitted the pieces together.
As the hours passed she began to tire and Charlie had to catch her mug as it began to fall. Finally he picked her up and carried her back into the house. Sarah had her arms wrapped around his neck and a tired smile on her face. She loved the way Charlie treated her and doted on her. Carrying her back to the house was just one example of his doing so. Feeling loved and contented, Sarah snuggled into his arms and fell asleep.
XX
Arthur and Molly sat in the parlour after dinner. Molly was busy knitting another baby sized jumper while Arthur pondered all the happenings at the Ministry. He and Kingsley had talked privately and both agreed that it looked like they wouldn't be able to remain at the Ministry much longer.
Arthur sighed, he wished that things weren't the way they were but wishing couldn't change the facts. Thicknesse and many of his cronies were more and more working for Riddle. Their policies were making it hard to hunt for the Death Eaters and those that had been caught seemed to disappear very quickly. Kingsley had told him that after they were turned over to Azkaban they were gone within twenty-four hours and that he couldn't do anything about it because his hands were tied by the new regulations that had been put into place.
"What is it Dear?" Molly asked.
"Just thinking My love," he replied.
"Anything you want to share?" she asked, trying to get Arthur to open up.
"I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep working at the Ministry," he said.
Molly looked at her husband with concern. She knew that things had been rough lately but he hadn't really let he know how bad things really were. She had overheard Bill talking to him over the weekend when they had dinner about how concerned the Goblins were with the happenings at the Ministry. They were very concerned about what they perceived as vague threats of interference of their business.
"What will we do?" she asked him.
"Bill has started making plans for that, he has placed a Fedelius Charm on Aunt Muriel's and in all likelihood we'll have to move there very shortly," Arthur said sadly. "He also is going to do the same for Shell Cottage and the Dragon's Lair."
Molly nodded, "We should probably pack some things up so that we can just grab and go when the time comes," she said softly. "What about Ron?" she asked after a moment. "Do you think he'll be safe at Hogwarts?"
Arthur sighed, "I hope that he'll be safe there and the Minerva would do everything in her power to protect him and any other student that needed it. I'll be sure to mention it at the next Order meeting."
Molly stopped her knitting and stared into the fire, "I wonder how our other children are making out?" she asked lowly.
Arthur looked at his wife and sympathized with her feelings, he too had been thinking of the missing members of their family, those by blood and those they had taken in. Not for the first time and he knew it wouldn't be for the last, Arthur said a silent pray for the ones who were out there, who knows where doing who knew what to try to bring an end to all the turmoil.
Arthur got up and offered his hand to Molly, "Come on Dear," he said softly, "Let's go up to bed."
Molly looked up at him through her tear blurred eyes, "Yes Dear," she said as she took his hand.
Hand in hand they went up to their room where they lay in bed huddled together but sleep eluding them for many hours.
XX
Bill stood at the window in the darkened bedroom, he stared out at the restless sea and he thought about how it seemed to mirror their world right now. Unsettled but not in a full blown storm as of yet. He knew that within a day or so they would be having a major storm come blowing in. He wondered if the Wizarding world was headed for the same thing. It certainly seemed so and he and his family had been battening down the hatches trying to prepare to weather the storm as best they could.
He heard a noise behind him and he felt Fleur step up into his back, or he thought with a smile, he felt her bulging stomach. Her hand came up and rested on his shoulder, "What is it Dear?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing and everything," he said with a wry chuckle. "I feel that soon the war will break out fully and I'm hoping that our family will be able to weather it all."
Fleur rested her head on his shoulder too and stared out at the tumultuous ocean and sighed. "I know, I pray that our child will be born in a world free of off this hate and destruction. I hope that some way can be found to return peace to us all."
Bill turned and took her into an embrace, "I know my love, I hope that it can come to pass. If my guess is correct it is all up to Harry and the ones he took with him. I pray that they are successful and we will have that peace you want. I just hope the price isn't too high," Bill said sadly.
"Come back to bed," Fleur said as she tugged at his hand.
With one last look out the window he let himself be led back to their bed. Fleur cuddled into his side as best she could, she was five months pregnant and her belly was now starting to show. She loved the feeling of the life growing in her but she did worry about the world their child would be coming into.
Bill pulled her into an embrace and kissed her softly. They snuggled together but didn't speak, both thinking of the unsure future that faced them and the Wizarding World and ultimately the whole world, for if Riddle prevailed it would eventually spill out into the Muggle world too.
A little later Bill was aware of Fleur's breathing changing as she slipped off to sleep. He looked at her beautiful face, relaxed in slumber and he hoped that he would be able to protect her and their unborn child. Much later he joined her in sleep but it wasn't restful. His worries intruding into his sleep and making him uneasy even in slumber.
XX
Harry and Tonks returned with the Cup to the camp site, breathing a sigh of relief with their narrow escape. They both hoped that Kingsley wouldn't have any problems, though as head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department he was technically Robards boss. Though Robards wasn't above going out of the chain of command himself and complaining direct to the Minister of Magic.
Tonks transformed herself back to normal though just for funshe changed her hair to a nice Weasley red.
They all looked at her as Harry and her entered the tent. Remus just shook his head, it was a little hard to get use to that his fiancée could look so different from minute to minute.
"How did it go?" asked Ginny.
"Pretty well, though we had a tense moment at the very end," Tonks said. She explained about the Junior Auror getting to the guard post early but that he had let them go as they were headed out and he wasn't officially on duty yet.
"Is it really the Horcrux?" Hermione asked.
Harry took out the Cup and placed it on the table. "There's one way to find out," he said as he took out his wand and cast "Deprehensio Atrum Veneficus". The brilliant white light shot from his wand and went straight to the Cup.
"I'd say so," said Fred with a chuckle.
"Who gets the Honour?" asked George.
Ginny looked at Hermione, "How about it Hermione?" she asked. "You've been in this longer than anyone but Harry. I think you deserve the Honour."
The Twins immediately agreed, "Yeah, you're next," said Fred.
Hermione looked hesitant.
"Do it," said George softly to her. "It will help, trust us on this."
Hermione nodded and went to get her Dragon-hide Gloves and the Basilisk fangs. When she returned she stood staring at it for several moments with everyone watching here in anticipation. She appeared quite nervous to begin with but as they watched a look of fierce determination came over her. She raised her arm and stabbed down through the centre of the Cup. The familiar black smoke and keening wail started and with added determination she raised her arm and stabbed again driving the fang deeper through the Cup.
As fast as it started the smoke and wailing ceased. Shaking a little and a sheen of sweat on her brow, Hermione dropped the fang on the table and fell back into the chair behind her as she took a deep breath. Then a smile crept upon her face, "That felt good," she finally said.
The Twins rushed to her side and began patting her on the back as they congratulated her fro striking a blow against Riddle.
"Do they all do that?" asked Remus.
"What?" asked Ginny.
"That smoking and wailing," Remus said.
"So far they all have," she replied.
As Harry watched his head began to throb and his scar pulsed with pain. He hadn't felt anything like that since Riddle had fled his body and slammed shut the tenuous connection almost two years ago.
Harry was able to stifle any outward reaction but Ginny could tell something had happened, so in-tune had she become with Harry. She looked at him questioningly and he mouthed "Later" to her not wishing to share what had happened with the others.
Ginny came over and sat down with him, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze, letting him know that she knew that like everything else now, they would deal with it together.
XX
A/N: Another Horcrux down one more to go. It seems that most are feeling the approaching storm. Will they survive when it breaks out in full force or will they lose people they hold dear?
Deprehensio Atrum Veneficus, - Detect Dark Magic
As always please review.
