Author: Azeroth
Author E-mail: mrlindberg3h@yahoo.com
Category: Mystery, Drama, Action/Adventure, Romance
Keywords: Harry, Ginny, Voldemort, Chalice
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: For all four books
Summary: Harry begins his fifth year at Hogwarts with a female Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, feelings of guilt for Cedric Diggory's death, and looking for someone to share his emotions with. Voldemort has steadily begun to build his reign of terror as a sense of urgency and vigilance goes through Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
The Sides of Fear
Chapter 13
Fists and Towels
The library was unusually crowded since no students had been allowed to leave for Hogsmeade. Harry knew where to find Hermione, but to his surprise she was nowhere to be seen. He even asked Madam Pince who told him, looking like a proud parent, that "he had just missed the wonderful Ms. Granger by a few minutes." Harry decided to go back to the common room where Hermione was probably busy studying for her O.W.L.s. One thing was certain. She was determined to get the most O.W.L.s in Hogwart's history. Harry chuckled to himself as he thought of Hermione's expression when she had her own section in her favorite book, Hogwart's: A History.
As he entered the portrait hole he could not see Hermione anywhere. He did see his other best friend zeroing in on him with deadly steps and a look of murder in his eyes. Ron came to a dead stop with his face only inches away from Harry's.
"What...did...you...do...with...my...little...sister?" he hissed, jabbing his finger into Harry's chest with each word.
"Me?" replied Harry bewildered.
"Yes...you," Ron said, gritting his teeth and continuing to jab Harry.
"Well, first off, stop poking your finger in my chest," Harry said, swatting away Ron's hand. "Secondly, I don't know what you're talking about."
The rest of the students were now fixed on the two of them as Ron looked ready to tear Harry apart. Ron's face was blending in well with the crimson red of common room, looking like a volcanoe ready to erupt.
"My little sister just told me you and her were having," he paused, with a face of disgust, "a snogfest," he spat out.
Whatever Harry had expected Ron to say this was certainly not one of them.
"She told you what," he flustered.
"You heard me. Snogfest!" he yelled, eyes blazing with fury.
"But...but..."
"You have three seconds before I rip your arms and legs off...Potter," Ron growled menacingly.
The shock of hearing what Ginny had told her brother was slowly ebbing away, and it was beginning to be replaced by anger. Ron didn't trust him. He always overreacted to everything. How could he even think I would do something like that? Harry straightened up and looked straight into Ron's eyes.
"So what if we were? I'm pretty sure we were enjoying ourselves. Now get out of my way...Weasley," Harry said angrily.
"Where do you think you're going?" yelled Ron, grabbing a hold of Harry's arm and whirling him around.
"To see Ginny and pick up where we left off!" Harry yelled furiously, snatching his arm out of Ron's grasp and stomping up the stairs.
For a brief second Ron was stunned, but quickly gathering his thoughts he made to follow Harry up the stairs. At the top of the stairs Harry was about to open up the door to the boy's dormitory when his body decided to walk over to the door leading to the girl's dormitory. Without a thought he opened up the door and stepped into more trouble than he could have ever imagined.
***
By the time Remus and Sirius had made their way down into the street, Lucius Malfoy had disappeared without a trace. Instead of waiting another day they immediately went straight to Gringotts in order to warn Bill about the impending danger.
Everything seemed to be normal as they walked into the bank. Remus went up to a desk with a goblin busy working on some papers. After a short conversation the goblin disappeared for a few seconds and reappeared to inform them that Bill was out of the office for the rest of the day. They were sure to find him at his apartment where he spent a great deal of his time.
They hit the street running down the streets of Shari Shalif with one goal in mind. To get to Bill Weasley before Lucius Malfoy. Out of breath they finally reached the blue building where Bill lived, and ran up the stairs only to find the door to apartment 18 was open. Fearing the worst they drew their wands and crashed through the doorway ready to face the Death Eaters. Instead of impending doom they were met by the sight of Bill Weasley drinking tea, and reading the latest issue of "The Daily Prophet." Actually, he was no longer drinking tea because the sudden crash of the door had made him drop his cup and the contents burning him.
"Mr. Hadzimujic, Mr. Khaffar, what are you doing here?" asked Bill, trying to sound as businesslike as he possibly could with hot tea burning on his legs.
"Thank Merlin you're all right," said Sirius, walking up and giving Bill a hug.
"Ahem, Mr. Hadzimujic. If you don't mind?" Bill choked.
"Oh...yes...right."
"Mr. Weasley, you need to sit down," said Remus. "Sirius, close the door."
"Sirius?"
"Mr. Weasley. Please sit down. We have a lot to talk about," Remus sighed heavily.
Bill was surprisingly calm as two customers from Gringotts had come crashing into his apartment only a few minutes ago. He sat down and invited his guests to do the same as Remus began to tell him everything. Bill's eyes widened as he learned of the supposed threat to him, and that he had been kept under surveillance for a month. After Remus had finished Bill looked like he was trying to let everything sink in.
"Well, this was...unexpected. It's not every day you find out your life is in danger," he frowned.
"Bill, we need to keep you safe. It is of great importance to Dumbledore, and your family."
At this Bill's face softened and he finally let out a sigh and got up to get some more tea. He came back with the kettle and three cups.
"Now, would you mind telling me who you are?" he asked pouring them a cup of tea.
"You know us as Mustafa Hadzimujic and Khalid Khaffar. I am Remus Lupin and this is Sirius Black."
Bill stopped as he heard the last name and started backing away, ready to pull out his wand.
"It is quite all right Bill," said Remus, who had anticipated this reaction. "Whatever you have heard before is not true. Trust me," he said motioning to Bill's vacated chair.
"Mr. Lupin, who did you see at the Apothecary today?"
"Please, call me Remus. You probably know him well. Lucius Malfoy."
"Lucius Malfoy? Here? What would he be doing in Egypt unless..." started Bill, looking confused.
"That's right," interjected Sirius, "he is a suspected servant of You-Know-Who even though he's escaped punishment before."
It seemed as though Bill had run out of questions and silence ensued. Finally the silence was broken by a jettison of light accompanied by the sound of the door crashing down.
***
Ginny had laid on her bed for a few minutes before getting up to take a shower. She was standing in her room by her mirror with only a towel wrapped around herself, when she heard the unmistakable voice of her brother yelling at someone. She could make out the words "snogfest" and "Ginny" as the voices drew closer. Oh, no. Ron had got hold of Harry. What was her stupid brother doing now? She turned around and was just in the process of removing her towel to put on some clothes when she heard a voice that made her turn around, eyes wide open.
"G-G-Ginny..." Harry croaked, eyes taking in the sight of Ginny Weasley in a towel. His face was burning and he felt like someone had put the Incendio spell on his face.
Ginny was in a state of shock, clutching her towel around her. It only took a split second before the door flew open and a frenzied Ron stopped in the doorway, nostrils flaring and eyes filled with the fire of the Weasley temper. If he had been angry before the sight before him was the final drop.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" he yelled, eyes darting from Ginny to Harry.
Harry could have sworn the furniture in the room was still shaking from Ron's loud voice.
"Ron..."
"YOU SHUT UP HARRY!" he spat, turning to Ginny. "TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE...NOW!" he demanded, towering over his little sister who was still looking shocked.
"Ron I can explain," started Harry.
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" Ron yelled pushing Harry into the wall and closing in on him. "YOU'RE THIS CLOSE TO ME TEARING YOUR LIMBS OFF" Ron said, holding up his thumb and index finger, his arm shaking violently.
Harry was just about to try to talk some sense into Ron when a voice echoed around the room sounding very familiar to Mrs. Weasley.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE? GET OUT! NOW!"
Ron's face went white as he slowly turned around to face the fury of the female contingency of the Weasley clan. It was not a pretty sight. Ginny was standing with her hands on her hips, forgetting her predicament, eyes raging and her face contorted into a facial expression that left Harry wishing for Voldemort to come and rescue him.
"Ginny...calm down...I was just..." tried Ron.
"NOW!"
Ron cowered but regained some courage as he once again looked at Harry.
"What about him?" he yelled, pointing at Harry.
For once Harry did not mind people talking about him like he was not there. Ron's question had not had the desired effect as Ginny walked up to where they were standing.
"I'm not leaving until he," Ron pointed at Harry, "is gone." Ron crossed his arms looking satisfied that his sister would understand his argument. How wrong he was.
"Fine. Stay and watch," she snapped and grabbed a hold of Harry pressing his lips toward hers.
Harry felt her lips pressing hard against his and time seemed to stop leaving him feeling confused, yet happy. His eyes were wide open in shock, but they quickly closed as reality hit him in the shape of Ron's fist hitting him on his bright red cheek, and once again he fell into darkness.
***
Madam Pomfrey had told Harry she would keep him with her for the rest of the year if anything else happened to him. Harry had become accustomed to the fussy nurse, but he found it a bit endearing that she cared so much about him. It could get annoying at times though. She had refused to let him get out of bed even though he felt fine. He had given up trying to argue with her and settled down on his bed staring at the ceiling.
The last thing he remembered before waking up in the hospital wing was Ron's fist making a charming indent on the left side of his face. That, and Ginny kissing him. Why did she do it? Of course. To teach Ron a lesson. That stupid git should just mind his own business. That's why she kissed me. She doesn't have a crush on me anymore. Instead of feeling relieved Harry felt a sense of disappointment at his last thought. Hold on. It's Ron's little sister. It's just Ginny. Wasn't it?
"No, Mr. Potter can not have any visitors. He has a concussion and needs his rest," came Madam Pomfrey's voice from across the room.
"Please, I really need to see him. It's a matter of life and death," pleaded Hermione.
"Isn't it always," said Madam Pomfrey rather snippy.
"Please, you know I would never break any rules," Hermione said looking innocent.
Madam Pomfrey studied Hermione carefully before finally letting out a sigh and telling Hermione she would have five minutes and no more. Hermione gratefully ran past her to where Harry was laying in bed.
"Harry, I need to tell you something. Ginny told me where I could find you. Actually, every Gryffindor knew where you were," she said with an evil smirk.
"What happened?" Harry said feeling like he had been trampled by a herd of Hippogriffs.
"Well, I don't know all the details, but I heard that Ron basically mauled you until McGonagall came to your rescue."
"Ah, yes. Then I do remember," said Harry feeling his swollen face and rubbing his head that reminded him of the impact of Ron's fist.
"Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about," continued Hermione as she sat down and leaned in close. "I was walking back from the library when I heard Snape and Miala talking in the classroom. I wasn't going to eavesdrop, but I heard Snape say your name."
Gaining interest Harry sat up now focused on what his "friendly" Potions Professor had said about him.
"I couldn't hear everything they said, but I heard them talking about a Chalice and how it is one of the elements along with you. I was going to do some research on it with you, but when I came back to the common room I heard about what happened. Now what's this I hear about a snogfest?" she smiled.
"Did you hear anything else?" asked Harry trying to get off the subject of what had transpired earlier.
"Well," Hermione said a bit put off at Harry for changing the subject, "Professor Miala thanked Snape for brewing her a potion. I don't know what it was, but she said that she couldn't have done it without him. He just told her not to get a taste for anything less appropriate."
Harry was about to ask Hermione how Ginny was doing when he felt the scar burning. He fell off the bed clutching his head with both hands. He remembered thinking how he spends a lot of time in darkness.
***
"Expelliarmus" cried the Death Eater as the spell hit Bill straight in the chest and throwing him across the room into the wall. The Death Eaters expected Bill to be alone and the sight of the two strangers froze them for a short moment allowing Remus and Sirius to pull out their wands. Both of them yelled Expelliarmus at the same time, but the first Death Eater was able to avoid the spell by lunging to the side. The second Death Eater flew backwards right through the neighbour's door while the wand flew straight into Sirius' open hand. The Death Eater who had escaped the spell looked around, weighing his options, then fled out the door leaving his comrade to fend for himself. Sirius immediately followed in pursuit as Remus put the Petrificus Totalus spell on the sprawled out Death Eater. He leaned forward and unmasked the Death Eater. It was one of the people Malfoy had been talking to outside of the Apothecary.
Bill was slowly getting up and Remus returned his wand that had been dropped by the retreating Death Eater. He managed to get back up on his chair and panted heavily as he tried to recover from being hurled into a stone wall. A few minutes passed before an out-of-breath Sirius walked back in obviously not being able to catch the accomplice.
"He...was...too...fast," huffed Sirius, flopping down on the chair trying to catch his breath.
"I have a feeling it would have been pointless in any case," sighed Remus. "The other was one of the men we saw Lucius Malfoy talking to outside of the Apothecary. Do you recognize him?" he asked Bill.
"Yes, he's one of our most well-known customers. He holds several vaults at Gringotts and he has requested my services at times as well."
"Bill, I'm afraid you are not safe here in Egypt any longer. You must come with us. Then we will ask Dumbledore for the best course of action. Now, we must take this man to the proper authorities, but before we do anything else let's finish what we started," said Remus picking up his cup and sipping some tea much to the astonishment of the others.
Remus looked up at the two pair of eyes that were staring at him in bewilderment.
"Tea...calming for the soul. You should try it," he winked.
As if hypnotized Sirius and Bill picked up their cups and began to drink their tea with the Death Eater floating in mid-air by them thanks to the hover charm.
***
Ginny was sitting in the common trying to concentrate on her Charms homework, but her mind kept drifting to what had happened the day before. Ron was of course not talking to her and she would have preferred if that had been the case with the twins. Upon hearing what their little sister had said and done they took it upon themselves to conjure up a towel with blinking letters saying "Snoggable When Lit" much to the dismay of Ginny. They had also taken the liberty to write a letter to their mother forging their handwriting to look like Ginny's. They had finished it off by signing it "Your Scarlet Daughter."
She did not really care. Her mother could take her out of school and lock her up in broom closet for all she cared. Her life was over anyway. She had made a fool of herself in front of the only person she could ever love, Harry Potter. What had possessed her to do such a thing? It had been the kind of moment she had dreamed about so many times. Harry walking into her room, sweeping her off her feet by professing what an idiot he was not to have noticed her before, then taking her into his arms and kissing him. Harry had walked into her room, but after that everything else went wrong. Come to think of it. Why was he in my room? Why didn't he knock on the door? If he wouldn't have just barged in none of this would've happened. Yes. It's all Harry's fault. She smiled contently. Of course he might have wanted to talk to you about the snogfest part. No. It was all his fault. No, it's me. I'm so stupid.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she mumbled, hitting her head against her book several times. When she looked up the rest of the common room was quiet, all eyes focused on her. A few first year students who had been sitting close to Ginny were slowly moving away from her. One boy was still sitting in the same place, but only because it looked like he had been petrified.
"Booh," Ginny said, scaring the boy into retreat over to where his friends were standing, shaking like leaves in the wind.
"Virginia Weasley, what are you going to do?" she thought as she tried to focus on her Charms homework again, failing to notice that her book was upside down.
***
Lucius had just arrived home at Malfoy Manor when his Dark Mark turned red. He immediately apparated in order to find out what his master could want from him. Surely it was to congratulate him on a mission well done. Voldemort was sitting on his throne with his fingers pressed against each other.
"My Lord," said Lucius kneeling.
"Lucius, word has come from Egypt about your mission. Perhaps you would like to hear for yourself?" Voldemort said calmly as Abdullah, one of the henchmen, came out from behind the door.
"Tell him what happened," hissed Voldemort, gesturing towards the kneeling Lucius.
Lucius was now smiling expecting confirmation of the success of the mission and the death of a Weasley.
"We reached the target...but he was not alone," Abdullah managed to stammer. The smile on Lucius' face had been wiped off replaced by a look of concern.
"We were unable to get to him. I managed to escape. Vavra was caught," finished Abdullah.
"Not quite what I expected Lucius," sighed Voldemort, getting up from his throne. "You know, I expected a lot more from you this time. Oh well," he said nonchalantly, pulling out his wand and muttering the two most feared words.
"Avada Kedavra."
Abdullah slumped to the floor beside Lucius who was certain his life would end in a few seconds. He closed his eyes waiting to hear the same words uttered. Instead he felt an immense pain as Voldemort had put the Cruciatus Curse on him.
"Lucius, Lucius, Lucius," tutted Voldemort, shaking his head. "I'm not sure how many more times I can let you fail me. For years you denied my existence, betraying me when I needed you the most. Then you fail me on several occasions. What am I to do with you?"
Voldemort was circling Lucius who was crumpled into a twitching heap on the floor. He was hit with the Cruciatus Curse again as Voldemort continued to talk.
"The question is...what would you do to prove your worth to me and redeem yourself?"
"A-a-an-y-th-ing," Lucius gasped, feeling every limb of his body contorting in pain.
"Anything?" asked Voldemort, ceasing the torture.
"Any-thing, my Lord."
"That was just what I wanted to hear," smiled Voldemort, eyes glinting with malice.
End of Chapter 13
A/N: I'm really excited as ideas are flowing freely and I have enough free time to be able to write it all down. Thank you so much for all the reviews. The next chapter should be out soon. The actual length of this fic is planned to be somewhere around 30 chapters, give or take a few.
CactusKitty: Congratulations on your graduation. A bit late, but then again I'm a procrastinator.
Conlan: I can't say I've been updating as quickly before since I had school, but now it's all fanfic. One of my stories didn't work at first, but then it did. Yeah, that's ff.net for you. Actually I have been having problems with it lately.
Bella Black: The voices will be back =)
Tinebedina: Here's the next chapter, and more will follow.
Maddy: Well, you were right about Ron acting like an idiot again =) The next chapter will be done by the time I post this. I'll send it to you so you can check it out.
Kyro: No need to wait. Here it is...the next chapter.
RogueAngel: Yes, I do listen to you. I can't promise you anything about having more Harry and Ginny, but they are definitely in my plans for the rest of the trilogy...one way or another. Who knows...maybe it'll be Ginny and Crabbe? =)
Brian McCrary: Thanks for letting me know about the detail about the Slytherin common room. I never even thought about it. I agree with you that J.K. is most likely going to have Harry sacrifice himself, but I believe for some things the highest sacrifice is necessary. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't write a happy ending. Who knows? Well, I do... =)
ChoChang913: I'll try to post as much as I can before you return from
summer camp. At the rate I'm going I should hopefully have added about 8 more
chapters. I hope you had fun at summer camp.
