A quick note - when this was originally written, we did not know Ginny's birthday. I have always seen her 16 going on 17, not 15 going on 16. This of course, makes Ron older too. C'est la vie.
32: What Percy Did
"I'm sure if you asked him to eat something, Harry dear, he'd finally move away from her bed for a while. I'm worried about his mental state…."
Harry tuned out the rest of what she was saying as he'd heard it repeatedly the last hour since arriving at Hermione's room with Lupin. He didn't have the heart to tell Mrs Weasley that he thought leaving Ron alone was the best policy. He stared in at his two best friends and felt his heart constrict; one was prone and unconscious on a hospital bed, and the other was keeping an ever-watchful vigil. Having been in Ron's position himself, Harry knew that no one would be able to make his friend budge an inch until Hermione opened her eyes. Unfortunately, the longer it took for that time to come, the more likely it was that those eyes would never open. But Harry didn't want to think about that.
"Mum, come on, let's go get some tea and biscuits for Ron; Harry will keep him company. You look like you could use a walk and some fresh air," Ginny's voice interrupted her mother's rambling, and Harry flashed her a grateful look. She met his eyes and nodded slightly as she took her mother's arm, starting to lead her away. He hadn't been able to apologize to Ginny for earlier, but something inside him told him she understood anyway.
He opened the door slowly and quietly entered. He didn't know if Ron had heard him or not. After a moment passed and Ron didn't turn around, Harry cleared his throat and stood next to the bed, looking down at Hermione.
To say she looked pale was an understatement; he had never seen her so lifeless, and that included the time he'd seen her petrified. A thick and heavy feeling settled in his throat, and he felt as though he couldn't breathe. Hermione, his sometimes annoying but always loyal and always clever best friend, was dead to the world in front of him. He felt the harsh sting of tears behind his eyes and tried to swallow. He finally pulled his eyes away from her form and looked at Ron.
Ron had a long scratch upon his face, deep and red, and he was still dirty from whatever had happened to him at the school. Harry thought he recalled Mrs Weasley saying he hadn't wanted anyone to heal his injuries, and apparently she hadn't been exaggerating. His eyes were dull and as lifeless as Hermione; he held her hand in his, and if Harry hadn't seen his thumb brush across her knuckles, he would have thought Ron had fallen asleep in the chair with his eyes open. His friend blinked up at him suddenly, as though just realizing he was there.
"Hermione, Harry's here," Ron said, his voice sounding rough around the edges. Ron stood up clumsily, as though he hadn't moved in a long time and gruffly hugged him briefly. He nodded at Harry.
"Say something to her; I know she's been waiting to hear from you."
Harry turned back to Hermione, feeling as though his heart was breaking. "Hi, Hermione. You have to wake up now, Ron looks a mess, and I'm back to yelling at everyone. We need you to tell us off."
She remained unchanged, but Ron seemed happy at his words, and he sat back down, nodding at Harry.
"She'll wake up soon, mate. I can feel it. She's not going to let me get into trouble without her. She'll wake up, and we'll laugh about how I was right this time, watch, you'll see. I told her we shouldn't have followed him."
Harry, who had been looking at the bed again, sharply turned his head at Ron's words. "What do you mean you told her you shouldn't have followed him? Followed who?"
Ron's eyes had glazed over again as he squeezed Hermione's hand tighter in his own. He didn't look at Harry, his voice sounding hollow.
"I told her that the git couldn't have been up to what she thought he was, but she didn't listen. She honestly didn't think he'd hurt us. Can you believe that's what she said? I tried to tell her but…." Ron stopped and blinked at Harry.
"He's the one who did this, Harry."
"Ron, who are you….?"
"Percy. He's the one who cursed her, but I…I deflected it, or I tried to, I stepped in front of her partway. They reckon that's why she's not dead now, it sort of hit us both…funny, I didn't really feel anything. Just sort of nothing inside me…like I was all hollow. I turned and asked Hermione if she felt empty, too but she was hunched over, not moving. When I looked back at Percy, he was gone, but…she'll wake up soon, Harry. She'll tell you herself, won't you, Hermione?"
Harry half-listened as Ron continued on, his thoughts reeling at what he'd just been told.
o-o-o-o-o
"Albus told you Percy is a spy?" Lupin asked him again, and Harry corrected him.
"He was a spy; but something happened, I'm not sure what, really. But Dumbledore sort of…lost contact with him. He said he was afraid that Percy had really started believing he was one of…them."
He and Remus were standing outside the room where they were keeping Dumbledore's body; Harry didn't have the heart to enter it, not after seeing Hermione and Ron. He knew he was stalling for time, and he knew that Professor Lupin was aware of it, too; he thanked his stars that the other man seemed to want to indulge him with this small thing.
"Albus never told the Order certain things; this was apparently one of them. I wonder…." Lupin stopped, shaking his head. "We'll have to have a meeting as soon as we're able. People need to talk about what's happened, and we need to figure out what we know for certain."
"Ron said they followed Percy to the cemetery at the school; I didn't even know the school had a cemetery," Harry said, as he started to pace.
"Do you remember our walk around the grounds when I was teaching? We'd go out sometimes so I could get some fresh air? It's near there, by the lake, and it's been there as long as the school has. I believe Albus has it charmed to stay hidden; you can imagine he wouldn't want anyone stumbling onto it by chance. But you can find it if you know where to go, which apparently Percy did. But why would he go to the cemetery there? Why go to all this trouble? There's nothing there except…." Lupin paused and suddenly looked away from Harry.
"What is it?" Harry asked mid-pace. He stopped and looked at the other man.
Lupin looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Well, it's just that based on other reports we're hearing…I think Percy's task was why Voldemort decided to attack. His being there and stealing away from the rest of the Death Eaters is highly suspicious and interesting." He glanced at Harry again and gave him a sheepish look. "I only mean interesting in the sense that now we know there was more to their attack than to just cause chaos and harm."
Harry frowned. "Personally, I'd feel better if it had just been for that instead of worrying about any ulterior motives the bastard had."
"I'm going to go talk to Arthur and get things arranged for the meeting. We'll need a location…Grimmauld Place, of course, if that's okay with you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, best place for it, I reckon, and there's room for everyone, although I don't think Ron will be going anywhere…." He let his voice trail off as he thought of Hermione's unconscious form again and felt the familiar hardness in his throat as he tried to swallow. He didn't know if he could take much more today - too many bad emotions seemed to be swirling around everyone.
"She's going to wake up, Harry; we won't lose everyone today," Lupin said quietly, looking intently at him.
Harry realized his emotions must have shown on his face. "I hope so because I don't think I can stand losing the two of them. If anything happens to her…Ron's…he's not going to make it." As Harry said the words, he knew they were correct; as sure as the sky was blue, he knew his best friend would not make it if Hermione died.
Lupin left him alone a little while later, and Harry took a deep breath before opening the door in front of him. He didn't think he was ready for this, but there was nothing else for it. He had the idea that this was only the tip of what was to come before everyone was safe again.
o-o-o-o-o
Ginny kept her mother company for a little while and then told the twins to watch her. Her mother seemed almost as lost as Ron appeared to be, as though not sure what to do anymore - Hogwarts had been attacked and Ginny could only imagine how that affected her mother. Her Mum had always said that Hogwarts was the safest place in the world and now, now they had been shown how silly that had been to believe.
She sat next to Ron for a little while and held his hand as he held Hermione's. It twisted her heart to see what shape her brother was in. He didn't seem like himself at all - and she didn't bother urging him to get looked after, knowing he would never listen to her. All she could do was offer her support, hold his hand, and try not to cry the tears that threatened to spill out. She had heard the words 'wasting away' before, but had never known a person could actually do it; Hermione seemed to be disappearing before their eyes, growing weaker and more still by the passing of the minutes.
After she could take no more, she hugged Ron and whispered that she was going to find Harry. She wasn't sure he understood her as he nodded his head at her, his eyes never leaving Hermione. With heavy steps, Ginny searched for Harry, suddenly needing to touch him, if only briefly. She knew he was upset; she could feel it in the air around them. When Harry was angry, she knew it well, and when he was distraught, she felt it just as keenly.
She eventually found him down a lonely, deserted hallway, sitting on a small bench, his body turned towards the window he was looking out of. She paused for a moment, quelling the desire to run to him. He wasn't startled when she finally reached him and touched his shoulder. He linked his hand immediately with hers and looked up at her. She saw the dried tears on his face and dropped down beside him, embracing him. They held each other fiercely, as though they could both use the other to block out the pain. She didn't know how long they stayed like that, quietly mourning with the other, neither saying a word.
Harry finally moved and pulled her up onto the bench, moving over to make room for her. He rested his head against hers, his breath warm against her cheek.
"I didn't know it would be like this," he said quietly.
"I know," she said, touching his cheek.
"She's…Ron's…Dumbledore…."
"Shh," Ginny whispered, placing her thumb over his mouth.
"I'm not strong enough for this, Gin," he finally said as he pulled back. His green eyes looked dull behind his frames, and she smoothed the hair away from his face.
"Yes, you are."
Harry shook his head, his face clearing momentarily. He touched her hair, his hand tender. "You just like to say the opposite of whatever it is I say, don't you? Just to be difficult."
"I resent that implication," Ginny said, smiling slowly.
"I love you," he said simply, watching her eyes.
Ginny felt her smile fade as she returned his gaze. "I love you, too."
"We're both going to have to fight for that," he said softly.
"I know."
Harry shook his head. "I don't know why you think I'm worth it."
"For the last time, Harry, I -"
He put his finger over her mouth, a brief but sad sort of smile on his face. "Just testing you."
He kissed her gently, and Ginny gladly welcomed the distraction of his lips on hers; the pain could wait until they were finished.
o-o-o-o-o
"I'm going to that meeting," Ginny said as she watched Harry change his clothes in his room at Grimmauld Place. Since it looked as though they'd be staying in London for a while, Professor Flitwick had forwarded the bags they'd dropped off at the school. She and Harry had put both their belongings together in his room without question. He frowned at her now as he pulled his jumper down around his shoulders, slipping his glasses back on.
"No, you're not," he said, his voice leaving little room for argument. He sat down on the bed next to her, to put his shoes back on. Ginny watched him for a moment and then looked away, feeling extremely angry.
"I'm bloody well old enough -"
"No, you're not."
"I will be soon..."
"Not soon enough for tonight."
"I'm your fiancée, Harry, that gives me the right to join the Order -"
"No, it doesn't."
"I don't see why I can't go myself; you're going to tell me what was said anyway, of course -"
"No, I'm not."
Ginny narrowed her eyes as he looked back at her, unwavering. "Do you know how to say anything else?"
"No, I…." He paused, and his mouth twitched slightly as he pushed his glasses up on his face. He sighed and took her hand into his. "Gin, for the last time, the Order is for people who are of age -"
"I swear, Harry if you start sounding like my mum, I am never sleeping with you again."
Harry bit back a laugh and then shook his head. "I agree with your Mum and your Dad on this one, I'm afraid. You are only sixteen and…." He paused and put his hand over her mouth to keep her from yelling. "And I want you to be kept away from it. I can't make you stay at the abbey anymore, and I can't lock you in a room somewhere, but I'll be damned if I'm going to be responsible for making you privy to things you don't need to know."
Ginny pushed at his hand and stood up from the bed.
"First of all, I am only sixteen for a few more months. Secondly, have you forgotten about Aine, Harry? She wants me to be in this; she wants me to know what's going on."
"Aine can stuff it," Harry said rather coldly, and she looked at him.
He saw her surprise and sighed, his expression softening. "Look, Gin, I'm sorry but where the bloody hell was Aine when all this was happening? What use is she if she can't even help us help the people we love? I'm getting tired of thinking about it. People are dying, here and now. We need to figure out why they attacked the school and what Voldemort's next move is."
"Aine makes it possible for you to have a clear head, Harry," Ginny said, stubbornly. "And she's made me strong so that I can fight; it's stupid to keep me away from things. It's like…it's like leaving half of your wand behind. We're meant to be a team."
Harry stood up and went to her. "We are. But…look, it doesn't matter if I wanted to let you go to the meeting or not; your parents would never allow it and you know it."
"So you promise to tell me what's decided?"
Harry ran his hand through his hair, looking stubborn for a moment and then finally he nodded. "Fine. I reckon I can't keep you completely out of it. It's just…Gin…I don't want to end up staring at you in a hospital bed any time soon. I've had enough of that today to last me a lifetime." His eyes became unfocused as he spoke, as though seeing the image of Hermione and the others at St Mungo's in his mind. She touched his chest, bringing his eyes back to hers.
"And you think I want to see you lying in one? It damn well works both ways, Harry."
He finally smiled and bowed his head, kissing her briefly. "Gods, why do I even try to keep you safe? I should send you out right now to go take care of Voldemort for me. You have enough fire in you to do it, too," he said, as he nodded at her.
Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. "Very clever. Don't forget the fact I owe the bastard for my whole first year."
"What? You mean your unwavering desire and love for me isn't the sole reason you want to kick his arse?"
"No, I want everyone I love and care about to be safe, not just you."
"I'm shocked and dismayed."
"You're a git, is what you are," Ginny said, pushing him away, laughing for the first time in what felt like days. Harry joined her and then sobered, looking ashamed.
"It feels wrong to do that," he said, his voice sounding rough.
"I know."
"Why does it go on so easily?" he asked.
"Why does what go on?"
"Life," Harry said, looking at her. "It just does, no matter what happens. Sometimes I feel as though the whole world could explode but I'd still be okay as long as I had you." He reached for her suddenly, as though desperate, and squeezed her hand.
Ginny bit her lip, tempted to tell him things, but knew he had more than enough on his mind. "Life always goes on, Harry. That's one of the great things about it. Even when we think it's over, we take another breath and another and then…we're breathing just like we always do. You know that better than anyone."
"Yeah, I reckon I do," he said, closing his eyes for a moment as they hugged.
"Now go downstairs while I sit up here, going mad with worry," she said after a moment, pushing him away from her.
"No extendable ears?"
She gave him a very non-amused look and he held up his hands, chuckling. "All right, all right. I trust you."
Ginny stayed standing until he left, and then went to his bed, laying down on it in frustration. Her hand worked its way to her necklace, unconsciously playing with it as her mind turned to darker things.
o-o-o-o-o
The first part of the meeting was mostly about hearing from people who had been at the school for the attack. Each surviving Auror stood up and told what they had seen, with Bill and Kingsley Shacklebolt taking notes and interrupting to clarify a point when needed. Mad-Eye Moody and Mundungus Fletcher sat on either side of them, with Dung giving off, as always, the slightly sour smell of stale tobacco and ale.
It was a rather large turnout - everyone who was able to attend had managed to make it - each eager to hear and discuss the news. The only conspicuous absences were Mr and Mrs Weasley, who had both stayed at the hospital with their son. But he recognized most of the faces around him and had the funny feeling that even the ones he didn't know by name he'd seen before. He had been surprised when first entering the room to find Katharine sitting next to Brogan, fresh from Ireland. She had given him a small smile, but he hadn't had time to ask her anything. Harry wondered briefly if Tonks had a problem with the other woman, but she didn't seem to. In fact, Tonks seemed more concerned with whispering to Lupin and helping him during the meeting.
Harry felt someone staring at him and turned to see Snape giving him the evil eye. He stared back at the older man until Snape turned away, sneering. He hadn't heard where Snape had been during the attack and was eager to hear his version of things. Unfortunately, Snape did not offer any new information, and Harry had a tingling sensation at the back of his neck that had nothing to do with sitting in the same place for too long and everything to do with having just heard a censored version of the events.
When they reached the part of the attack that pertained to Dumbledore, the whole room seemed to grow deathly quiet. Lupin cleared his throat and looked as tired as Harry felt.
"I spoke to the Healer-In-Charge and she seems to think that the idea of Albus recovering is slim to none." Lupin paused and looked around the room significantly. Harry noticed a few of the faces fell, as though they had still been hanging on to some shred of hope. After seeing Dumbledore for himself, Harry had not been able to entertain any romantic notion about their mentor getting better. He couldn't even bring himself to think about it, but he knew that the man was gone, deep down. He saw the same sort of emotion on the faces of those who had been at the school during the attack; they had known it as well.
"Neville Longbottom seems to be recovering fine, although he does not remember much of the attack. I suppose that should be considered a blessing," Lupin continued, his voice sounding strained. "And I've just received word that Luna Lovegood will be recovering as well. There's no word on Hermione Granger's condition but Molly promised to let us know as soon as there was a change."
Lupin cleared his throat and looked around the table, finally resting his eyes on Harry. "The families of the three Aurors that were killed have been notified and Amelia has promised they will all receive Order of Merlin, First Class for their role in protecting the school. Although I am sure that is only a cold comfort at best."
"We're introducing three new members tonight into the Order - one, of course, is Harry Potter, who I am sure needs no introduction." Lupin waited as everyone turned in Harry's direction. Harry felt his skin heat but nodded at everyone.
"And Brogan Caley has been the current Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts since the start at term. Those of you in the Auror Office will have probably heard about him, as Kingsley tells me they've been after him for a while."
Brogan's cheeks turned pink and he gave a half-smile to the room; Kath looked proudly at him. Lupin continued after a moment. "And finally, we have a new member from Ireland - some of you will know her father, no doubt, Torin McNamara. This is his daughter Katharine."
The group around the table murmured and looked at Kath curiously. Snape actually seemed surprised to hear of her parentage and gave her a rather odd look. Kath smiled politely at everyone and Harry wondered why people seemed to be interested in her.
The meeting broke up soon after, with people being given new orders and plans of communication. Lupin promised them all that he would have the new leader of the Order contact them soon, which surprised Harry as he had assumed Lupin had taken over, based on how the meeting was run. The room cleared a little bit and Lupin closed the door after Hestia Jones wandered out.
Lupin sighed and sat back down next to Tonks, looking at Harry. "This is a second meeting. Albus sometimes held smaller meetings for those of us he wanted to keep more up to date. Or…for those of us he trusted implicitly." He looked at the twins who had been extremely quiet sitting next to Harry. "Nothing that gets said in this room is repeated. To anyone. And it goes without saying that you are to keep your emotions in check."
Fred nodded; George looked slightly insulted that Lupin would even need to tell them such things, but Harry knew he was preparing them for the news about Percy. Harry suddenly regretted sitting in between the two Weasleys. But nothing prepared him for what happened next; Lupin nodded at him. "Harry, tell them what you told me."
o-o-o-o-o
It was extremely late at night when the second meeting finally broke apart, and Harry didn't linger, slipping out as soon as he was able. He'd had enough questions and enough emotions to last him a lifetime, and the dull throb in his head seemed to be growing. It had felt odd telling the Weasleys about their brother - Bill had appeared completely shocked, and Fred and George were as white as ghosts, a situation Harry didn't ever want to see again if he could help it. It was unnerving to see people usually so full of life and merriment be wholly knocked off their feet.
Katharine and Brogan had seemed to want to talk to him, but Harry had left before they could. He moved quickly up the stairs, hoping they would understand he didn't need other people near him. He only needed one, to be exact.
He opened his bedroom door, noting it was dark, and locking the door behind him. He could see her form on the bed in the moonlight that trickled in through the window from across the room. He started to remove his clothes when she stirred and a small flare of light grew brighter as she lit the room with her wand. She sat up, bringing her knees close to her under the duvet.
"It's late," she said.
"I know, I'm sorry; did I wake you?"
"No, not really. Is there word about Hermione yet?"
"No, no word. But Neville and Luna are going to be okay, it looks like." Harry carefully pulled his jumper off and removed his jeans, leaving his boxers on. Ginny scooted over and he slid into the bed, suddenly needing to be next to her. They fitted into each other's arms, and Harry removed his glasses.
"My mum is going to kill us when she finds out we're sleeping together in this room," Ginny said, touching his face.
"I'll worry about your mum in the morning. I just…I don't want to talk anymore or think, even. We're engaged now and we're at war and…we sleep together. They can all deal with it."
"Rough meeting?"
Harry nodded, breathing in her scent, feeling his headache ebb a little. Ginny kissed his neck, moving her mouth along his jaw.
"I'm too knackered to shag, Gin. You'll have to take care of yourself tonight, I'm afraid. Just be quick about it, though, would you?" he said, closing his eyes. She punched him lightly and pulled away, settling on top of him. He opened one eye, and she smiled.
"You're never too knackered to be funny, I see," she said, shaking her head at him. She darkened the room with her wand and settled back into her side of the bed. "Goodnight, Harry."
"Hmm," he said softly, already feeling himself start to drift away. He'd been afraid he wouldn't be able to sleep, but the minute he had climbed onto the bed and into her arms he'd relaxed, and now he welcomed the escape, however brief.
o-o-o-o-o
The next morning Harry awoke, still feeling exhausted. But as he wondered what time it was and how much longer he could hide under the duvet, he realized suddenly that something on his body definitely wasn't tired, and he groaned in frustration.
Sleeping in the small bed had not seemed to be a problem the night before, but now he realized that his front end had been rubbing Ginny's back end all night and he was now, apparently, raring to go. He suddenly hated being seventeen and cursed his anatomy. They were at war!People he cared about were being hurt and all his body could do was to wake up happy?
Dragging a hand across his face, he turned and reached for his watch and glasses on the nightside table. It was just after eight am and he listened for signs of life in the house below them but could hear nothing. Ginny stirred next to him, and he released a breath, trying to think of non-sexual thoughts, but it was tricky as she turned and curled herself around him, her soft and vibrant hair falling across his chest.
She opened her eyes, blinking at him before smiling sleepily. He tried to concentrate and argued with his body in his head, keeping his hands to himself.
"What time is it?" she finally asked, turning her head so that she could see him properly.
"After eight, there or about. Sleep well?" He tried to keep his voice light.
"Hmm. Not especially. I still feel…." she paused as she moved against him, noticing his predicament. She looked down at him and then grinned. "Well, hello there and a very good morning to you too, Harry."
"Very funny. I was just trying to make it go away." He tried to roll away from her but she stopped him, giving him a curious look.
"You were about to wank?"
"What? No! I was er…trying to put mind over uh…matter," Harry said sheepishly as Ginny moved her hand downwards. "Hey, don't you start!"
"Why not?" she asked as she shifted and moved down so that she was closer to his middle; her touch was already making it difficult for him to think of anything else. He struggled with the part of him that wanted nothing more than for her to do what she wanted.
"Gin, we can't…we need to get up and get dressed and go back to the hospital and check on Hermione," he managed to croak out, causing her to stop for a moment.
"We're not going to shag, silly," she said, still dangerously close to his body.
"Then what the hell are you doing," he said as he felt her hand slide in between the opening of his boxers. He resisted the urge to shudder at the contact, her hand feeling like silk around his skin.
"I'm just going to help you out, love."
"Ginny, we don't…it's not right."
"Did you or did you not say last night that 'we're engaged now, we're at war and we sleep with each other and people can deal with it'?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean we're going to have a lie-in and shag all day."
"I just said we weren't going to shag. Why do boys never listen?" She tugged on his boxers, and he tried to push her hands away, getting angry.
"Why aren't you listening to me?" Harry asked as he eventually managed to stop her, although not before she'd managed to get him undressed. It did nothing for his mood to realize he hadn't exactly been fighting her too hard.
She sighed and slid back up alongside him, shifting so that they could look at each other in the eye.
"Did you or did you not say yesterday that life goes on?"
"Yes, but -"
"And do you or do you not have a rather large…morning dilemmaof said lifethat has been poking me in the back for the last half hour screaming out to be taken care of?"
"Yes, but…really? A half-hour? I'm sorry -"
"And," Ginny continued as she moved and was suddenly straddling him, "are you or are you not extremely tense right now?"
Harry frowned. "What the blazes does that have to do with anything?"
"Harry, let me help you relieve some pent up frustrations. You'll feel loads better, I promise, and I bet it won't even take that long," she said with an ingratiatingly sly smile.
"Ginny, this isn't the time, is it? I mean…." Harry paused, suddenly unable to argue with her anymore, not quite believing they'd been arguing to begin with.
"Where in the handbook of war does it say that a girl can't go down on her boyfriend when he needs it?" Ginny asked, smiling widely at him.
"There's a handbook for being at war?"
"Sure, isn't there a handbook for everything?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "You are unbelievable."
"And you're randy; honestly, Harry, you always are when things get emotional. Haven't you ever noticed? That's the real reason you woke up like this."
Harry frowned and considered her words, not noticing her moving back down to caress him. He let his hand stray to her hair as her head moved. "I don't always get randy when I'm…uh…." Harry swore as Ginny's mouth moved around him surprisingly quick and to the point. And Harry forgot to worry about what was right and just went with what felt good.
o-o-o-o-o
"And Remus said they haven't decided if the school is going to re-open or not. McGonagall is acting Headmistress, and she's trying to see how many people even want their kids to return," Harry said as Ginny finished getting dressed. She paused as she pulled one of his shirts from his wardrobe, holding it up as he nodded that it was okay that she wear it. They'd showered (separately), and he'd been filling her in about the meeting ever since. She buttoned his shirt, frowning.
"Well, regardless, I'm not going back if you aren't," she said, sounding determined.
Harry shook his head. "Right, I'm sure your Mum and Dad will just be perfectly fine with that idea."
"Well, they can't argue and say it's the safest place for me, can they?" she said as she fluffed her hair.
Harry watched her, losing track for a moment and then blinked at her. "Well, no. But…Ginny, please. I've allowed you to come back from the -"
She glared at him and he closed his mouth. He tried a different approach. "Er, right. Since you are no longer at the abbey, I would rather you're someplace I know about. Someplace secure. And no one thinks Voldemort will try to get back to the school again."
"And what exactly are you going to be doing then?"
Harry sighed. "We're going to try to reach Percy."
Ginny paused, pulling her hair back into a ponytail and stared at him. "Who's we?"
"Bill, Brogan, Remus and…me." Harry didn't meet her eyes.
"You're going on a mission for the Order and you didn't bother to tell me this?"
"I was tired last night, and you were determined to have your way with me this morning," he said, grinning briefly. "So, I'm telling you now."
"So I get to stay behind while you get to go off and try to save my git of a brother…what?" Ginny asked when she saw his expression change. "What is it?"
"We won't be trying to save him so much as…he's the one who hurt Hermione, Gin. She and Ron followed him to a graveyard that's on school grounds and…he was up to something. Remus seems to think that the school was attacked so that Percy could get something for Voldemort."
"Why didn't you tell me this?" she asked, frowning.
"I learned about it at the hospital; there wasn't time to tell you, and Remus told me to keep it to myself until the meeting."
"So it's already started, hasn't it?" Ginny said, walking over to his desk and sitting down. She fixed him with a fierce stare.
"What's already started?"
"The lies, the hiding…the 'doing Order' business spiel that everyone always tells us. Except instead of you being just as clueless as me, now I'm the only one on the outside looking in."
"I'm not lying to you, and I'm not hiding anything. I've told you everything that went on at the meeting, haven't I? Against my better judgment, but I have been open with you. I'm sorry you're sixteen and you can't join in," Harry paused as Ginny snorted in disbelief. He frowned. "Well, actually, no, you're right…I am glad you can't, because I don't care what you say, Gin, I don't want you in harm's way and yes, I know, it's unfair. What's our saying of the day? Deal with it."
Ginny pursed her lips at him. "When do you leave?"
Harry felt his face heat. "This afternoon, after we come back from St Mungo's."
When she didn't say anything, he felt anxious. He'd been expecting a screaming row, but she just looked rather sadly back at him.
"What? What is it?" he asked, sitting up on the bed.
"I was thinking that I should have pushed for that shag this morning, that's all."
Harry's mouth fell open slightly, and then he realized she was joking as she bit her lip. He gave her what he hoped was a consoling look. "I'm not going to be gone that long; we're going to the school to check out this cemetery and see if anything has been disturbed and try to figure out what's going on. I'll be back tonight, most likely."
"But you'll be following the clues to Percy, won't you?" Ginny asked, her voice plaintive. "And then you really will leave and who knows when I'll see you again?"
"I don't know. Maybe we won't find anything," Harry said, standing up. He went to her and pulled her up from her chair. He kissed her gently and waited until he felt her lean into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. They broke apart after a while, and Harry looked down at her, tilting her chin up with his finger.
"You were going to lose me in a few days anyway, remember? The end of break. It'll just be like that."
"No, it won't be, Harry. You going back to a safe and secure Hogwarts is loads different than you heading off into the world. Going goodness knows where after my git of a brother and you know it. If Percy has truly changed sides, then he's dangerous and he won't think twice about killing any of you, you know that, right?"
"What if it's us that has to…take care of him?" Harry asked, watching her eyes.
Ginny swallowed roughly and raised her head stubbornly. "Then you defend yourself and you…you don't let him hurt anyone else. He's done enough harm, spy or not."
Harry knew that they understood each other and they headed downstairs, not talking, but holding hands and both already feeling a little bit lost.
o-o-o-o-o
Harry left Ginny at St Mungo's with her family. She kissed him dryly on the cheek, not meeting his eyes, and he felt his heart break a little bit. But it was soon replaced by the feeling that keeping her safe was more important than anything else.
They Apparated to Hogsmeade, with Harry feeling only a tiny bit apprehensive, having not had the chance to travel that way since the summer. They took the long road up towards the school, the winter wind howling at them as though in protest at their arrival. Harry pulled his jacket around him tighter, wishing he had worn the jumper Ginny had sewn him; he always felt extra warm in it.
They paused as they reached the school's large gates, which Harry was surprised to see closed, although he knew he shouldn't have been. Lupin sent a message with his wand, alerting them that they had arrived. A few moments later, Harry saw Professor McGonagall coming down the hill towards them, bundled up to her ears in a rather woolish looking cloak of green tartan.
If Professor McGonagall seemed surprised to see Harry with them, she didn't show it and merely nodded at him before turning to head back up to the school. They walked briskly behind her, the wind now pelting them from all sides, it felt like to Harry. Although it hadn't snowed recently, there was an iciness to the ground that made him think that a new snowfall was just around the corner. They passed by Hagrid's hut, which looked dark and neglected. Harry wondered briefly for the first time his friend had not heard anything about him while the others had been talking about the attack the night before. He made a mental note to ask Lupin later.
As they walked closer to the main building, Harry saw the massive crater that Fred and George had mentioned and felt his blood run a little cold. This is where it had supposedly happened; this is where Dumbledore had fallen. He tried not to look at the dark and blackened earth as they walked past and couldn't help it, his eyes finding the seared ground automatically. He noticed Bill and Brogan trying not to look as well. Only Lupin seemed able to resist looking completely.
Professor McGonagall ushered them into the cloisters, where the wind chill was decidedly less, and she waved her wand around, causing Harry to feel immediately warmer. Lupin smiled at her.
"Thanks, Minerva. You received the letter I sent earlier?"
"Yes, I did. I don't feel right about it, but I do understand why you have to do it." She glanced at Harry, frowning. "Potter, have you ever wondered about where your parents are buried?"
Harry gave a start; he had not been expecting that question. He looked at Bill and Brogan who gave him blank looks. Lupin, however, seemed uneasy.
"Er, no," Harry started, his mind putting two and two together. "Are you about to tell me I'm going to see their graves?"
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes, I am. Albus always meant to tell you about them but…well, we can't second guess things now. Your parents were to be buried in the village where their house was kept; Godric's Hollow. Professor Dumbledore, however, requested that their bodies be kept on Hogwarts grounds. He never told me of the reason," she added when Harry started to open his mouth to ask why.
"I didn't tell you before now, Harry, because I wanted to make sure with Minerva that it was okay for you to visit the cemetery," Lupin said.
"Why wouldn't I be able to?" Harry asked.
"Like I mentioned before, Albus didn't want anyone to accidentally wander into the cemetery, and he especially didn't want you to go there before it was time. He put into place certain charms to keep…blood relatives out."
Harry frowned, feeling deeply confused.
"I've since made sure you can access it, Potter," Professor McGonagall said. "If you do, however, start to feel odd or strange, please let one of the others know. I may not have got them all."
She bid them goodbye a few minutes later and Remus looked at each of them. "Are we ready?"
They nodded, wands in hand, and started the long walk towards what was turning out to be more than just a cemetery for at least one of them. Harry felt his stomach lurch as they moved, suddenly feeling as though he was racing to the earth on an out-of-control broomstick, not sure if he was going to be able to stop it in time to safely land.
o-o-o-o-o
It was Ginny, not her mum that was finally able to make Ron rest, and he was now sleeping, snoring softly from his corner of the hospital room. She wasn't sure if it had been her powers of persuasion or just Ron's apparent need for sleep. She had never seen him so upset - it was as though he was a different person. Her parents had thanked her and taken the opportunity to go home for a little while to catch up on what they had missed from the meeting. Ginny hadn't shared any information with them, not wanting them to get angry with Harry and not wanting to be lectured. She also didn't bother to tell them that for all sakes and purposes, she and Harry were together in every sense at the house and would continue to be so until he left, figuring they could have that row when they all felt a bit stronger.
She sipped at the rather lukewarm tea her mother had left her and felt too tired to warm it up with her wand. She watched as Hermione breathed in and out, trying to see if she looked any different. Ron insisted she looked better and that 'she'd be waking up any time now,' but Ginny only saw an ashen and deathly looking girl lying on a hospital bed.
Ginny tried not to think of Harry, telling herself that he would be back that evening. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about this Order business and while she knew it had to be done - they had to figure out what Percy had been up to - she didn't have to be happy about the fact that Harry now had to go out and do his own work. And yet she knew Harry would have it no other way; she knew that the time for the two of them to just wait for answers had come and passed. Voldemort had made sure of that, hadn't he? She felt a thick and bitter taste in her mouth and put her teacup down on the small table next to the bed with a loud clatter, not hearing it.
Ginny suddenly felt how unfair it was that she was a girl and unable to put herself out there to protect those she cared about. She should be going with Harry to the graveyard, not Bill…not Brogan. She was his protection - Dumbledore had told her so, hadn't he? What good was it if all anyone wanted her to do was sit about and hold people's hands? What use was she? What purpose was Aine's strength if she wasn't allowed to employ it?
Ginny was so lost in her dark thoughts of frustration that she didn't notice anything different at first. But the soft sound of moaning trickled through to her thoughts, and she looked at Ron first, wondering if her brother was having a bad dream. She stood up and quietly went over to him, thinking it would be best to just wake him up. When she saw he was still snoring softly, she frowned and looked back at the bed. Ginny gasped and put her hand on Ron, jarring him awake. Hermione had opened her eyes.
o-o-o-o-o
The cemetery they entered was a very odd and strange place, Harry thought. Having spent some time in one at the end of his fourth year, he had to admit he had no desire to ever enter another. But the idea of seeing his parent's graves urged him forward, for whatever reason. He felt tightness in his chest and was glad the wind was cold enough so that he could claim his red eyes and the wetness underneath them was only because of that.
Thankfully, the trees of the forest offered them some comfort, and Harry took advantage of the fact that he could look around as they moved forward. The graves here looked undisturbed and very old - as though time itself had forgotten they existed. He wondered why they weren't spending more time making sure Percy hadn't messed about with any of these, but Lupin seemed determined to check the Potters' graves first. They walked over a small hill, and Harry knew they were in a newer part of the graveyard, although he supposed that was up to debate. There was still a sense of timelessness about the place - as though not many people bothered it anymore. He caught a name here and there off one of the markers, not recognizing any of them.
Lupin finally stopped, and Harry noticed they were standing in front of a large Holly tree - its branches high and black against the grey winter sky above them. Despite the tree's cheerlessness, Harry noticed there was a small, surprisingly still green hedge around the base of it. White and pink flowers bloomed as though it wasn't winter, and he marveled at it before noticing the two stone-grey markers and the names that they held behind it.
The stones were joined - connected in the middle by a marble symbol he thought he recognized. His mother's name was on the first one, written in a grand flourish. The markers bore the different dates of their birth and the same date for their deaths. Harry swallowed hard as his eyes seemed to slowly digest the date of October 31, 1981.
"He was here," Lupin said after a moment, and Harry noticed for the first time that the earth around the stone that bore his father's name had definitely been disturbed. A strong sense of outrage seemed to travel through him - was nothing in Harry's life to be left unsullied in the name of Voldemort? Would Tom always be there first, destroying everything that ought to be untouched and sacred?
"He dug something up?" Harry asked, his voice rough.
Bill kneeled down to the grave, moving his wand around, frowning. "No," he said as he looked back at Harry. "But he tried to, I think. Perce never was one for manual labor though; I wonder why he even tried to do it without magic."
"Perhaps he was under orders to get it that way," Brogan said, moving around the graves. "There are some old spells that require things to be done…without magic."
"Well, the spell I just did would have told me if something had been taken from the remains," Bill said, standing back up.
"Maybe he did it to throw us off," Harry said, feeling hopeful and looking around. "Maybe he didn't come here because of my parents at all."
"Try the spell over Lily's grave," Lupin said quietly, startling them.
Harry's eyes fell on the ground in front of him, which did not look like it had been touched. Bill kneeled down again and moved his wand the same way he had done before. A low buzz of noise was heard, and a faint light seemed to glow around the grave for a moment, causing them all to back away. Harry didn't need Bill to tell him what that reaction meant.
o-o-o-o-o
"Why would he need something of my mum's?" Harry asked as they sat down at one of the tables in the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall told them to warm themselves up before leaving for London and had served them all hot chocolate. A plate of what looked to be a rather lovely treacle tart was also sat down before them, but Harry didn't have it in him to enjoy his favorite dessert at the moment.
"Not just something, but a part of her," Lupin said grimly, looking as though their afternoon excursion had confirmed his worst fears.
"You said there are old spells that needed things done the non-magical way," Bill said, turning to Brogan. "And I admit I've heard rumors of such things, working in Egypt, but do you know anything else about them?"
Brogan appeared deep in thought and finally looked at all of them. "There are some, but I only know of them, not about them. I…well, I did a lot of research about Aine and what witches and wizards did in her time. I've seen mention of a few… and they weren't what one would call spells done for a good reason if you know what I mean."
"Great," Harry muttered, staring down into his hot chocolate. Something stirred in his memory, and he looked at the others. "Did Dumbledore ever mention to any of you about that book that got stolen? The really old one that had spells in it that…well, he thought Voldemort would use it to try to do something to me…something that would help him win."
"I think I recall Albus mentioning something or other," Lupin said, nodding. "I bet I know a person who would know, most definitely. I'll have to ask him…I wonder…." He stopped and stood up, looking around. "I'll be right back; I have to talk to Minerva about a few things for the Order."
They watched him walk away in silence and then turned back to their drinks. Bill gave Harry a wry look. "This has been one hell of a Christmas."
"I know…I can't believe last week you and your parents were at the abbey with Ginny and me…." Harry sighed.
"I'm surprised you didn't keep her there," Bill said in a neutral voice, and Harry grimaced.
"You know your sister; there was no way on earth she was going to stay behind for this…and quite frankly, I didn't want to fight her on it at the time."
"She was pretty determined," Brogan added, looking at Harry. "And you were definitely still in shock."
Bill sighed and took a drink of his hot chocolate. "I know, I don't mean to start anything; I'm glad Ginny is actually back. She's good for Mum and for Ron. I guess I can't get rid of that rather insane part of me that wants to lock her away somewhere until everything is safe again. I don't know why Ginny just seems to bring it out of me."
Harry met his eyes, and he knew that Bill and he understood each other finally. "You know, Ginny insists that she and I are meant to fight together, and having seen what she can do, defensively, I'd normally agree with her. But every time I even think of her getting hurt like Hermione or heaven forbid, being taken again and used against me, some part of me just doesn't care and wants to throw her into a locked room and lose the key until this war is over."
"I used to call it Mad-Brother protection," Bill said, a smile on his face. "But I reckon it's just a case of how much we love her."
Harry nodded. He rested his head in his hands on the table, feeling weary. "Do either of you know where Hagrid is?"
"I saw him leave right before the Yule Ball; Professor Dumbledore sent him on a mission," Brogan said.
Bill shook his head. "That means he doesn't know yet. I don't want to be around when McGonagall breaks the news to him. He loved Dumbledore like a father; this will tear Hagrid up inside."
Harry drained the last of his hot chocolate, suddenly wanting to be away from the school and back in London. He didn't want to see Hagrid upset; he felt empty inside again. He knew part of him should be worried for his friend, but it felt as though everything was moving too fast, and he was rushing towards an ending he didn't want to face.
"Where do you think we should go from here?" he asked the other two.
"I don't know exactly. Percy is probably in as deep as they come, there's no way we can track him down and expect to find him by himself," Bill said thoughtfully.
"We could try to figure out what spell Voldemort wants to do," Brogan offered. "The restricted section here at the school has some ancient books, and I could send a message to Garrett and get him involved." When he saw Harry's expression, he shrugged his shoulders awkwardly. "I know it doesn't sound very proactive, sitting around reading, but it's better than nothing."
Harry nodded, knowing Brogan was right. "Well, at least it'll please Ginny to know my first Order business is to read books. I can't very well get into too much just doing that, can I?"
"I'm sure you'll find a way," Bill said dryly, and Harry didn't reply, looking out one of the windows instead, noticing that it had finally begun to snow.
o-o-o-o-o