Harry Potter and the Jade Heart
Chapter 24
"New Direction"
Lupin, Sirius, Harry, and Ron walked to where Lupin was staying and travelled to Hogsmeade by floo powder and continued the journey up to Hogwarts by foot. They said their goodbyes when they reached Hogwarts' grounds. Harry and Ron gave Lupin a hug and each patted Sirius, now a black dog, on the head. Harry was completely exhausted when they reached the castle, not so much from the walking but from what he had been through earlier that night. The rest of the school was in the Great Hall eating dinner. Harry wasn't in the mood to join them, but he was extremely famished, as was Ron. They entered a room of silence. Each house had been missing at least two people, so everyone seemed to have been affected by what happened. The Slytherins were not as subdued as the other houses. Most of them were related to the older death eaters anyway. Still, no one in the room except Harry and Ron knew what actually happened, and neither were very much up to reliving the story, but from Harry's experience, he knew he would have to.
They sat down and tried not to plunge into the food, but they felt like they hadn't eaten in ages. As Harry ate he tried to avoid eye contact with everyone. He looked up at the enchanted ceiling and for the first time noticed that all the clouds had been swept away. For the first time in a long time, he could see the stars, but this didn't give him the feeling he was hoping for. He felt like the clouds were still there.
Students started leaving the hall and headed back to their dormitories. Harry and Ron remained the last ones eating. Most of the teachers had left as well. Dumbledore was finished eating but he remained until all the teachers left.
"When you two have finished, please go to Professor McGonnagall's office." He stood up and walked out slowly. Harry could see why he wasn't fit to go searching for missing students.
When they finished eating, Harry said, "Ready?" Ron reluctantly nodded.
In Professor McGonnagall's office, they saw Dumbledore and the heads of houses: McGonnagall, Sprout, Flitwick, and Snape. All were sitting but Snape. McGonnagall motioned for them to sit as well. Ron slumped down in a chair, and Harry sat down next to him.
"Where did the two of you go?" she asked in a tone of voice she usually used when they were in trouble, but the expression on her face told them otherwise.
Harry figured he would do most of the talking, since Ron seemed to be dwelling on something. "We were in Godric's Hollow."
"How did you get there?"
"We don't know."
"Maybe you should start at the beginning," said Dumbledore. Harry was afraid he would be asked to do that, but this time around it was a bit easier than it had been last year. This time he didn't just come from a duel with the most powerful dark wizard. He started with Hermione casting a spell on him. He told them how all the fifth year prefects are now death eaters. McGonnagall looked seriously disappointed and shocked at the news of Hermione. He told them how Cho, Ron, and Dean appeared.
"Where are Miss Chang and Mr. Thomas now?" asked McGonnagall. Harry paused. He looked over at Ron, who obviously wasn't paying attention to anything. Then a thought occurred to him. Why hasn't the Ministry of Magic taken any action against Ron for using the killing curse? They are usually aware of any magic used. Then he remembered the disappearing forest and how Lupin and Sirius weren't able to see them. So nobody knew what happened. Should he lie about Dean's death?
He decided to start with Cho. He looked over at Dumbledore. "I know what a Jade Heart is now," he said solemnly.
Dumbledore nodded in understanding. Professor Flitwick was on the edge of his chair completely worried. Dumbledore looked at him. "I'm afraid Miss Chang has become a death eater as well." Flitwick put his face in his hands. For the first time, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students had become death eaters, and poor Professor Flitwick lost three of his students.
Harry felt even worse for Professor McGonnagall. She lost three students as well, but one of them had no chances of returning. Harry looked at his hands which were in his lap. "Dean...um..."
"Dean is dead," said Ron, still with a distant look on his face. A muffled cry came from three of the teachers. No one spoke for a moment.
"Harry, please tell us what happened after Dean was killed," said Dumbledore. Harry was grateful that he didn't have to explain how he died. He told them that Voldemort's plan was to torture Harry, so he let him go for now, which is why Harry and Ron were still alive.
"That sounds nothing like his ways before," said Professor Sprout.
"Voldemort has different motives now," explained Dumbledore. "Which means we need to take a different course of action now that we know what we are dealing with."
Harry wanted to ask what that course of action would be, but Dumbledore dismissed him and Ron. "Both of you have been through too much. Just try to get some sleep, and do not speak of any of this with the other students. They will know what they need to know when the time is right. Neither of you have to worry about exams as well. I'm sure you have far more on your minds."
They left the office, and for the rest of the week they remained mostly in Gryffindor tower. Ron slept a lot, and Harry kept sending owls to Lupin and Sirius. He had asked Dumbledore if he could stay with them this summer, but once again he told Harry he would be safer with the Dursleys. Harry started to wonder what it was about Privet Drive that put Dumbeldore's mind at ease.
Harry was actually relieved to go back to the Dursleys. Everything in the wizard world reminded him of the death eaters, especially Hermione and Cho. With the muggles, he felt a degree of separation from all of that. Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe he actually was okay with going back to the Dursleys. Things really had changed a lot.
Chapter 24
"New Direction"
Lupin, Sirius, Harry, and Ron walked to where Lupin was staying and travelled to Hogsmeade by floo powder and continued the journey up to Hogwarts by foot. They said their goodbyes when they reached Hogwarts' grounds. Harry and Ron gave Lupin a hug and each patted Sirius, now a black dog, on the head. Harry was completely exhausted when they reached the castle, not so much from the walking but from what he had been through earlier that night. The rest of the school was in the Great Hall eating dinner. Harry wasn't in the mood to join them, but he was extremely famished, as was Ron. They entered a room of silence. Each house had been missing at least two people, so everyone seemed to have been affected by what happened. The Slytherins were not as subdued as the other houses. Most of them were related to the older death eaters anyway. Still, no one in the room except Harry and Ron knew what actually happened, and neither were very much up to reliving the story, but from Harry's experience, he knew he would have to.
They sat down and tried not to plunge into the food, but they felt like they hadn't eaten in ages. As Harry ate he tried to avoid eye contact with everyone. He looked up at the enchanted ceiling and for the first time noticed that all the clouds had been swept away. For the first time in a long time, he could see the stars, but this didn't give him the feeling he was hoping for. He felt like the clouds were still there.
Students started leaving the hall and headed back to their dormitories. Harry and Ron remained the last ones eating. Most of the teachers had left as well. Dumbledore was finished eating but he remained until all the teachers left.
"When you two have finished, please go to Professor McGonnagall's office." He stood up and walked out slowly. Harry could see why he wasn't fit to go searching for missing students.
When they finished eating, Harry said, "Ready?" Ron reluctantly nodded.
In Professor McGonnagall's office, they saw Dumbledore and the heads of houses: McGonnagall, Sprout, Flitwick, and Snape. All were sitting but Snape. McGonnagall motioned for them to sit as well. Ron slumped down in a chair, and Harry sat down next to him.
"Where did the two of you go?" she asked in a tone of voice she usually used when they were in trouble, but the expression on her face told them otherwise.
Harry figured he would do most of the talking, since Ron seemed to be dwelling on something. "We were in Godric's Hollow."
"How did you get there?"
"We don't know."
"Maybe you should start at the beginning," said Dumbledore. Harry was afraid he would be asked to do that, but this time around it was a bit easier than it had been last year. This time he didn't just come from a duel with the most powerful dark wizard. He started with Hermione casting a spell on him. He told them how all the fifth year prefects are now death eaters. McGonnagall looked seriously disappointed and shocked at the news of Hermione. He told them how Cho, Ron, and Dean appeared.
"Where are Miss Chang and Mr. Thomas now?" asked McGonnagall. Harry paused. He looked over at Ron, who obviously wasn't paying attention to anything. Then a thought occurred to him. Why hasn't the Ministry of Magic taken any action against Ron for using the killing curse? They are usually aware of any magic used. Then he remembered the disappearing forest and how Lupin and Sirius weren't able to see them. So nobody knew what happened. Should he lie about Dean's death?
He decided to start with Cho. He looked over at Dumbledore. "I know what a Jade Heart is now," he said solemnly.
Dumbledore nodded in understanding. Professor Flitwick was on the edge of his chair completely worried. Dumbledore looked at him. "I'm afraid Miss Chang has become a death eater as well." Flitwick put his face in his hands. For the first time, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students had become death eaters, and poor Professor Flitwick lost three of his students.
Harry felt even worse for Professor McGonnagall. She lost three students as well, but one of them had no chances of returning. Harry looked at his hands which were in his lap. "Dean...um..."
"Dean is dead," said Ron, still with a distant look on his face. A muffled cry came from three of the teachers. No one spoke for a moment.
"Harry, please tell us what happened after Dean was killed," said Dumbledore. Harry was grateful that he didn't have to explain how he died. He told them that Voldemort's plan was to torture Harry, so he let him go for now, which is why Harry and Ron were still alive.
"That sounds nothing like his ways before," said Professor Sprout.
"Voldemort has different motives now," explained Dumbledore. "Which means we need to take a different course of action now that we know what we are dealing with."
Harry wanted to ask what that course of action would be, but Dumbledore dismissed him and Ron. "Both of you have been through too much. Just try to get some sleep, and do not speak of any of this with the other students. They will know what they need to know when the time is right. Neither of you have to worry about exams as well. I'm sure you have far more on your minds."
They left the office, and for the rest of the week they remained mostly in Gryffindor tower. Ron slept a lot, and Harry kept sending owls to Lupin and Sirius. He had asked Dumbledore if he could stay with them this summer, but once again he told Harry he would be safer with the Dursleys. Harry started to wonder what it was about Privet Drive that put Dumbeldore's mind at ease.
Harry was actually relieved to go back to the Dursleys. Everything in the wizard world reminded him of the death eaters, especially Hermione and Cho. With the muggles, he felt a degree of separation from all of that. Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe he actually was okay with going back to the Dursleys. Things really had changed a lot.