Chapter 24 – I Wasn't Made To Fall In Line

Note: Chapter Title from Christina Aguilera's song 'Fall In Line' featuring Demi Lovato

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

Now that that's out of the way, let's begin…

Last time,

Harry smiles, "Peachy."

Now,

"I think it's a fair question!" Hermione calls after her brother as Harry ignores her and keeps walking into the Gryffindor common room, "Oh, honestly Harriso-"

"It's Harry."

"Not when you're annoying me it's not," Hermione replies. Harry stops walking and glares at her.

"Hey, you're back! How's Sirius?" Ginny asks, walking down from the dorm.

Neville smiles at her, "He's good. Well, alive and free."

"But not good?" Ginny questions, Neville seems uncomfortable with the topic so she comes closer and talks quieter, "What's wrong with him?"

"I don't think he's sleeping much. I'm not sure if that's because of his problems or Uncle Remus'."

"Remus'?" Ginny asks in confusion.

"I'm sure Inimicus will explain what happened later," Neville whispers to her very quietly, she nods, "He and Uncle Sirius are together now, though."

"Harry and Sirius?" Ginny asks looking disturbed.

"No, Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius."

Ginny squeals in delight, "YES! BLOODY FINALLY!"

"Told her about Remus and Sirius?" Harry guesses, Neville nods.

"Geez, only took twenty years and two marriages," Ginny says.

"Hey, come on, one of those marriages was our Mother, can we not make it sound like it was just getting in the way?" Harry requests.

Hermione looks at him in surprise, "My God, did you just refer to Del Black as our Mother?"

"Mio, please, not now."

Hermione narrows her eyes at him for a moment, then huffs, "Fine. I'm going to find Pansy."

"Where's Ron?" Harry asks Ginny who rolls her eyes.

"Detention with Snape."

"What did he do?"

"Everyone's got a different story, but they all end in the potions classroom blowing up. Dumbledore had called Snape out and insisted to speak with him despite a class going on and…well, without supervision…"

Harry sighs, "Dumbledore doesn't seem to be thinking things through lately." Harry spies a few concerned looks out the corner of his eye. He, of all people, questioning Dumbledore's faculties?

"What's going on with you and Mio?"

Harry sighs again, this time for real. He nods towards the portrait hole, "Walk with me?" Ginny nods, following him out.

They walk in silence for a minute before Ginny turns to Harry, "Okay, spill."

"She wants to go with Sirius to meet our Mother," Harry replies.

"And?"

"And she wants me to go with her."

Ginny nods, "And you don't want to." Harry shakes his head. "Why not?"

"Because she doesn't mean anything to me."

"She's your mother, Harry."

Harry stops walking, they find themselves on the astronomy tower. He leans on the railing and looks out over the scene. "All my life I've thought I'm the son of Lily and James Potter. Thought they died. I thought my parents were dead and I grew up an Orphan. Only none of it's true. What is true is that I grew up alone and without parents. I have no interest in gaining them now."

Ginny frowns, leaning beside him, "You didn't feel this way about gaining family a few weeks ago when you found out about Mio."

"I didn't find out about Mio a few weeks ago." Ginny raises an eyebrow. "I mean, I did, but I already knew I had a sister, and I knew that she was here at Hogwarts."

"How?"

"Jamie and Uncle Moony. I could have questioned further, I didn't. Not until it was Hermione."

"But you call Remus 'Uncle Moony' now, why is it different?"

Harry frowns, "I didn't already have an Uncle. Not really, I'd hardly count Uncle Vernon after all. He wasn't replacing anyone."

"But you just said yourself that you don't have parents."

"I said I grew up without them. I also grew up thinking I knew them."

"So you don't want to meet your Mother because you grew up thinking Lily Potter was your Mother…" Ginny sounds confused until she trails off, her eyes suddenly filled with understanding, "You grew up loving her like one. And James you loved and thought of as your Father. So even though they aren't, it's still like you're replacing the parents you thought you had."

Harry nods slowly, "I guess I didn't think about that but, yes. With Sirius, it didn't matter so much. I had a relationship with him as my God-Father and he wasn't around anymore, so it was fine. But I don't know this woman. All I know is she hasn't been here and she's the reason I was lied to. But she's never been a mother. Not to me. I get that Mio is happy. She's found her family at long last and wants all of it, but I accepted a long time ago that I would never get that. Because my family wasn't out there somewhere, they were dead. This has always been my life and I've been fine with that. I don't know how to…"

"Have a family?" Ginny asks, Harry bites his lip and nods. Ginny wraps an arm around him, leaning her head on his shoulder, "I think Hermione has forgotten that it's not been this big mystery to you. You knew who your parents were, they were just dead. And even though it's not true, it means that there was never an empty slot there for Sirius and Del to now step in and fill. If all Sirius can be right now is your God-Father, if all you can do is be like you two were before, I think he'll be fine with that. And as for Del, you don't have to accept her as a mother. But can't you do as you've done for your various Aunts and Uncles, your cousins, me and my family? Can't you just accept her as generic family and not worry about trying to fit her into a box that isn't quite empty?"

Harry nods slowly, "I guess I can try."

The two walk down to dinner together, quickly finding their seats at the Main Table.

"Welcome back," Blaise greets.

Harry nods, "Thanks. Anything interesting happen while we were gone?"

"Nope!" Ron exclaims loudly, causing many laughs around him.

"Is this about the potions accident?" Hermione asks.

Pansy shakes her head, "I'll tell you about it later, Cor Meum," She tells her, Hermione nods.

"Speaking of later," Harry begins after an encouraging look from Ginny, "Mio, I was thinking we could go on that visit with Sirius some weekend? I'm sure we could get permission from McGonagall," He says, she looks at him in shock before beaming at him and nodding.

Harry looks up when he feels eyes on him and finds Dumbledore looking at him while speaking to McGonagall, Dumbledore smiles gently at him when he catches his eye. Harry nods to him before turning back to the table.

"Why is the Headmaster acting weird?" Harry asks the table.

"Inimicus," They all say.

"Did something else happen?" Hermione asks in confusion.

"All the accidents around the school. Well people are starting to talk, like maybe Dumbledore is getting too old and can't control the students. He thinks that's been done on purpose, thinks this Inimicus is trying to undermine him. I think he's just getting paranoid because of the war. You know, with people attacking you on all sides, anyone'd start seeing plots everywhere," Romilda explains from where she's sat between Ron and Benni.

"Regardless, he's started calling people in for questioning when something happens," Ron tells him, "Making sure none of us are joining up."

"Giving us reason to, if you ask me," Mandy mutters, they all look at her in surprise, she leans in, the rest do too. "Well think about it. If it's so easy for someone to get in his head and mess with him, how well can he really protect us? He can't even protect himself. And if he can't bring down Inimicus, what chance does he have against you-know-who?"

"What's joining Inimicus going to help?" Lavender asks.

"If Dumbledore can't bring down Voldemort, then we have to find someone who can, else we're all dead."

"And you think Inimicus can?" Draco asks.

Mandy shrugs, "I don't know, but at the moment, I think they've got a better chance of it than that old coot does."

"We don't even know they've got anything against Voldemort," Hermione points out, "For all we know, they work for him."

Lavender shakes her head, "I don't think so."

"Why?"

"That snake would never have been able to kill Dumbledore. That wasn't an attempted murder, it was a message. Inimicus was letting Dumbledore, and the rest of us, know they're here. You-know-who has no need to do that. Besides, if you-know-who could get into Hogwarts, he's not going to be sending a snake," Lavender explains.

"If he's not really trying to kill Dumbledore, what does he want?" Romilda asks.

Lavender sighs, "Now that, I don't know."

"Well, say Dumbledore is right. Say all these accidents and the recent chaos really is Inimicus. If that's true then they're clearly trying to discredit the Headmaster. Dead or not, they want him gone," Mandy says.

"It's got to be someone within the school," Romilda says, "They've got way too much access for anything else. Maybe they don't think Dumbledore can beat you-know-who either."

Mandy frowns, "Well if it comes down to it, I know who I'll be backing. My Pa's always said, 'If you don't like either option, make another.'"

That night, Inimicus and his Reapers meet in the graveyard at their usual time of 3am.

"Damn, I've missed this," Pansy states as she walks in with Blaise and Draco. Harry's there having a very intense looking conversation with Illa, the other Gryffindors standing off to the side.

"Me too," Hermione agrees, moving to throw her arms around her girlfriend's neck and kiss her.

"You literally saw each other a few hours ago," Draco complains, they ignore him. To their great surprise, Remus walks in from another tunnel.

"Found it," Remus says to Harry.

"Okay," Harry says at last, standing up and facing them, "Everyone's here."

"How did Professor Lupin get here?" Luna asks curiously in her airy voice that is both endearing and frustrating to listen to. It makes you want to write off everything she says as gibberish, yet, if you bother to listen, her words are logical and very, very, helpful.

"The diary made me realise this was meant to be a safe place so, logically, there'd be a way to get out of the castle," Harry says, "I theorised it would be within the forest."

"Which it was, though you will not like where," Remus tells him, shuddering slightly.

"I had a theory on that too, I assume I'm right."

"Spider nest?" Harry nods, Remus does too.

"Why's it always spiders?" Ron complains.

"How'd you know the spiders are involved?" Pansy asks.

Harry sighs, "A memory, it's a long story. For now, how're we going?"

"Pretty well," Ron says, "Since Dumbledore started questioning people about the incidents around the school, chatter about it all has really increased."

"Yes, I noticed that," Harry says, "Sounds like it's going our way, too."

"For the most part. There have been some whispers of people less than thrilled with it all but, they seem to be keeping to themselves," Ginny tells him.

"I recruited Mandy a while ago, but she's been playing it up lately and it's certainly been working in our favour," Pansy says to them all, "Also, I have an updated list of your followers. It's been charmed to update as more join. My concern is the security of it."

"Can we use the same spell as is on the map?" Harry asks Remus who shakes his head.

"Not if you want it to be truly secure. Afterall, George, Fred, and Jamie found a way into that. You'd be wanting another level or two on it," He replies.

"I've been looking into spells like that," Ron says, "I can help Pansy with it?"

Harry nods, "Good. Blaise, I want you working with Hermione and looking into Scrimgeour."

"You're not going to try and recruit the Minister for Magic, are you?" Blaise asks incredulously.

Harry shakes his head, "No, Blaise. I want to find a means of controlling or influencing him. I also want to know what's happened to Fudge since he's been fired."

"I think someone outside the school might be better off doing that one," Neville comments nervously. Harry hesitates a moment, then nods slowly.

"What about George?" Draco suggests.

"Brilliant, Ginny?" Ginny nods her agreement, Harry smirks. "Perfect."

"He has some news from his task. Apparently Slughorn was close with Tom during school, he seems to think there's a chance he knew something that Dumbledore wanted to know."

"Speaking of, did you kill him?" Blaise asks.

Harry shakes his head though he seems more focused on what Ginny just told him. "No, the Death Eaters were after him when Dumbledore and I went to get him to begin with. I think they must have caught up to him," Harry replies off-handedly.

"Then why wasn't the mark in the sky?" Remus asks.

"I really don't know. Perhaps someone should ask Severus."

"I can do that," Remus suggests, Harry nods.

"You two still talk after breaking up again?" Draco asks unsurely.

Remus looks at his God-Son in confusion, "Breaking up again? We never got back together, Little Dragon."

Draco and Pansy exchange confused looks. "Erm, Re," Pansy begins, "We er…we sort of walked in on the two of you the day you arrived to teach again," She explains, the kids in the room look over to him in a mixture of shock, disgust, and confusion.

Remus flushes, "Oh, that. Um, no, that wasn't…I mean we didn't…erm…"

"Was a casual thing, got it, don't need any more details," Pansy declares, looking disturbed.

"You two thought my parents had gotten back together and you didn't think to tell me?!" Blaise asks his two best friends, incredulous and annoyed.

"Well you were really upset when they split up and we didn't know what was happening, we didn't want you to get hurt again so we decided that until they mentioned something, we wouldn't," Draco explains, Blaise still looks unhappy but nods.

"Um, if Blaise and I are looking into Scrimgeour, what about my research into Grindelwald?" Hermione asks, getting them back on topic.

"Why were you looking into Grindelwald?" Remus asks.

"Because you weren't around for me to ask. Now you are. I know you didn't seem to want to elaborate before but I want details on Ariana," Harry responds.

Remus nods slightly, "The reason I didn't want to elaborate before is because when I got my information, Peter was with me," Remus tells Harry who does not seem very surprised. Then again, he never does, that doesn't always mean much. "And the person who gave me the hint that sent me looking was Bellatrix." Again no one seems surprised, they'd already known that bit anyway.

"What did she say?" Harry questions, prepared to believe it after everything he's heard from Draco and from his own interaction with her in the Department of Mysteries.

Remus bites his lip and clears his throat, "That the non-human spiritous apparition is after Albus and to stop her."

"Why would Aunt Bella care?" Draco asks, "She hated Dumbledore."

Remus sighs, "She didn't hate Dumbledore, she hated the situations we all ended up in, and she hated the way he reacted to them, but I do not believe she hated him. Not when in her right mind, anyway. But regardless of her feelings on Dumbledore, more than anything she wanted Voldemort stopped, and gave her life to see it happen. So naturally, I dropped everything and went to find out what is going on."

"Because you were in love with her," Hermione realises, "She's Jamie's mother, the one you won't talk about." The room stops and they look at Remus in a desperate and almost horrified confusion.

Remus takes a moment to take a deep breath, stalling long enough that everyone thinks the entire subject will be side-stepped again, only it isn't. "You all know she was declared innocent because a spell had shattered her mind. None of what happened was her fault," Remus begins, "What you don't know is that prior to that, Bellatrix and I had been together since our first year in Hogwarts, save for two and a half years during which her parents had her under the Imperius Curse."

"Why did they have her under the curse?" Luna asks, it's not exactly one of the questions the others are burning to ask, but they are curious enough to wait for an answer.

"Her sister was disowned for marrying a Muggle-born. Bellatrix tried to stop it, I'm not sure exactly what went down, only that they decided she would fall in line and marry Rodolphus whether she wanted to or not."

"How did the spell get broken?" Pansy questions cautiously.

"Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix murdered Abraxas Malfoy, Druella Black, and Cygnus Black III the night Druella and Cygnus decided their two remaining daughters would take the Dark Mark. Trixie broke through the curse enough to get a warning off to Lucius who came over and the three made sure none of them would have to join Voldemort."

"But they all did," Ron points out.

Remus nods, "That's the night Sev, Narcissa, and Lucius joined him. Again, I am uncertain exactly what occurred, only that they fought him, tried to kill him, and they failed. In the end a deal was struck, one that would protect me and Regulus Black and keep Narcissa from having to take the Dark Mark. I got Trixie back for a few years before I lost her to another mind-altering spell. And eventually, she was lost to everyone in death." Everything is really quiet for a while before Remus clears his throat, "Ariana Dumbledore is possessing Tom, as she did his Uncle, in an effort to kill Albus."

"Because he killed her, right?" Pansy asks, Remus nods.

"Why did he join Grindelwald?" Neville wonders aloud.

Remus sighs and shrugs, "Why does anyone join these people?"

"Fear, hatred, love, status, the usual motives of everything we do," Pansy replies, everyone blinks at her, "Oh, was that a rhetorical question?"

"No, it's not. If we find out why he joined him we may be able to use it against him," Harry tells her.

"How do we find out?" Remus asks, "Grindelwald isn't exactly in the most…reliable state of mind."

"We'll have to ask someone he might have confided in," Harry says.

"Like who?" Pansy questions, "He trusts no one, he has no friends, and his sister is dead."

Ron frowns, "Ariana isn't the only family that Dumbledore has."

"Do you really think Aberforth is going to help?" Remus questions, "Believe me, I know from personal experience that no matter how much anger you hold for a sibling…they are still your sibling."

"Does your experience include said sibling killing the youngest?" Pansy asks sarcastically.

Remus grimaces slightly, "Yes." The kids all look at him in shock, though Harry's shock is a mere raise of his eyebrows. "It's a long story, but my point is I doubt Aberforth is going to turn on his brother. At the very least he could warn Albus of whoever it is who speaks to him."

"If he's anything like his brother then he won't help a faceless henchmen of another wannabe Dark Lord, no offence Inimicus," Blaise tells them, swallowing harshly at Harry's less than impressed look. "I only mean to say that from the outside, to one who has seen many take this path, it will look no different. Especially given his family history with Grindelwald."

"Well then we need to find someone else Dumbledore may have confided in. Or at the very least, someone who might know who Dumbledore would have confided in," Harry announces.

"Peter might," Remus offers, mildly hesitant. He's still not sure how Harry feels about the man.

"He's also a coward and he murdered a teenager," Harry replies harshly.

Suppose that answers that question, Remus thinks to himself. "Be that as it may, he is also a reliable source of accurate information pertaining to both Dumbledore and Grindelwald. Should he be willing to help us, it is not an asset we can afford to ignore."

Harry looks at him for a moment before he looks away, clearly debating the course he wishes to take.

Illa slithers up his leg and shoulder to curl around his neck, "Why do you hesitate to follow the logical path?"

"I watched the one I loved die because that man wanted his girlfriend back," Harry replies coldly.

Illa thinks for a moment, "Forgive me but, are you not currently leading your hatchling cousin to believe his only friend is dead because of your own need to avenge a Father who it turns out survived anyway?"

"This is not about Sirius," Harry insists.

"Harrison-"

"It's Harry."

"You are shaped by your past, as is everyone. Trying to shove it away because you do not want to acknowledge this will not change it. You lost your father and you were angry, you wanted revenge on the man you blamed for his death. Your father is alive yet still you wish to bring Dumbledore down. Question, Harry, how much is your vengeance worth?"

Harry falters for a moment before he looks back at the others, then frowns as he realises, "It's not just about me anymore."

Illa gives what Harry can only assume is the snake version of a smug smile, "Then perhaps you should allow their say in this as well." Harry still seems hesitant, Illa snake-sighs. "They trust you to lead them to victory. So do it. No matter what it takes."

Harry nods slightly to Illa, then more solidly to the others. "Get in touch with Pettigrew, find out what he knows," Harry orders. Something about it causes a shift in the air and all can feel it. Something has changed and, for whatever reason, they all believe it can only be for the better.

"Yes, Sir," Remus replies.

"Remus," Harry begins, "About your capture-"

"I shared nothing with them, I swear," Remus assures him though it does nothing to assuage the concern on the faces of those who had not heard about his abduction prior to now.

"I did not think you had for a moment. I merely wished to make sure you are all right and enquire about Danielle. Is she still hidden and safe?"

Remus nods, "Yes, of course," He says before clearing his throat. "I am fine, and Danielle is safe. I had not even made it there before Greyback nabbed me. I plan to give it a few more days before I attempt to head back. If that is acceptable?" Remus questions, Harry nods his assent. "In that case, I will speak with Severus about Slughorn's demise and Peter about possible confidants of Dumbledore before I leave."

"Meet me here in four days time, you can tell me what you have found then," Harry instructs, Remus nods. "Right, I think that is everything. However, with Sirius back in the picture we must move carefully. He is very protective and if he catches wind that something is wrong within Hogwarts he will do everything he can to pull Mio and I away from it. So he mustn't find out, am I clear?" Harry asks them all, eyes hovering over his Sister, Uncle, and Neville in particular. They all nod. "Good. Then we should all get some sleep." At the word sleep, Harry once again gives his Uncle a significant look though this one goes entirely ignored.

As the others begin to leave the Graveyard, Harry pulls Ginny aside.

"Something wrong?" Ginny asks him.

Harry frowns, "I was about to ask you that. You were very quiet."

Ginny hugs herself as she sighs, looking around the Chamber, "It's this place. It just…brings back a lot of memories." Harry nods slowly, Ginny looks at her friend with lost eyes, "I saw his memories too, you know. I saw how much he adored your mother. And to know what he became…" Ginny walks over to the Basilisk carcass, placing her hand on its head, "To see the very thing he used to commit the murder that would lead your mother to run…" She shakes her head. "It's not fair, Harry. None of it. They didn't deserve this, no one deserved this."

"How much did you see?" Harry asks her, furrowing his brows in obvious concern.

"I don't know exactly. A lot more than I can remember but…it's all sort of fuzzy. I remember up to when I tried to flush the book, then it all gets sort of patchy until I opened my eyes to find you in front of me…dying," Ginny replies, turning to face him. "If I could remember more, I could be of more help."

Harry strokes Illa's scales for a moment as he thinks, then he nods. "I'll look into it. For now, speak to George about Fudge, and get some sleep."

Though Ginny nods her agreement to his words, she does not listen. Instead of going to bed, Ginny goes to the library. There's something that everyone seems to have stopped thinking about, if Tom is alive in his body and possessed by Ariana like Ginny had been, then like her, perhaps he can be freed. And if he can be freed, then she will make sure he is.

No matter what.

Knowing he doesn't sleep, Remus decides to sneak through the castle's secret passageways and go ask Severus about Slughorn now.

He finds his way to his ex-husband's office easily and slips inside, unnoticed by even a portrait.

"Remus?" Severus asks as he looks up from his work and sees his friend.

Remus smiles, "Severus, how are you?"

"…Confused. Is Jamie okay? I'd have been told if Little Benni wasn-"

"The kids are fine, Sev," Remus assures the other man. "I'm not here about them."

"Then why are you here?"

"A question. I assume you have heard of Slughorn's death?" Remus asks.

"Is that your question?" Severus counters, dubious about this visit and Remus' odd demeanour.

"No, I'm merely wondering if you know how it happened."

"Why?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

Severus gives him a deadpanned look, "If this were simple curiosity, Re, you'd have sent an owl. Or at the very least, visited during the day, not at four in the morning."

Remus nods slowly, "Fair point." Severus raises an eyebrow, Remus sighs. "I can feed you some bullshit if you'd like, but at the end of it we'll both know I was lying so there's little point."

Severus nods, "Yet still you will not tell me the truth? Surely after everything we've been through, Remus, you would know you can trust me."

"I do, Merlin, Severus, of course I do. It's not about that."

"Then what is it about? Because if it's Sirius, I will punch him."

"Severus, are you jealous of Sirius?" Remus asks with a frown that is part concern and part friendly teasing.

Severus rolls his eyes, "Don't flatter yourself, Remus. I just have no desire to lose one of my only friends if Black suddenly decides he doesn't like me again."

Remus walks forward and hugs Severus, "You are one of my oldest friends, Severus. It hasn't been Sirius that I have relied on for the past fifteen years, it has been you. And it was you that made sure I actually survived after Sirius…died. You will never lose me, old friend. Never."

"Nor will you lose me," Severus tells him, "So you've no reason at all to not tell me why you're asking about Slughorn."

"Inimicus."

Severus looks at him for several moments before he nods, "Nobody knows who did it. But that's exactly how everyone knows."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Remus asks him.

"Only one asset in this war is completely unknown to all but the Dark Lord himself. Whoever the spy is in the Order is the same person who killed Slughorn. That's why it's all so secret, that's why no mark was left, that's why no one is asking questions."

"And you've no idea who this spy is?"

Severus shakes his head, "I'm sorry, Re, but I really don't."

Remus nods, "Thank you, Sev."

"What is it you once said? 'Should you need help, even if you can't give details beyond the task, we're here?'" Remus smiles softly at him as he nods. "I'm here, Remus. Always."

"I know."

"Though, you never did explain how you came to be working with Inimicus," Severus points out.

"Nor have I any idea how you got to be involved."

The two hold gazes for a moment before nodding at each other, knowing they can say no more.

"Good night, Sev."

Severus gives a small smile, "Sweet dreams, Re."