A/N: Just a quick note. For the first time, like, since this story began, I have ALL the chapters up that I have written! It'a a MIRACLE! Lol, okay, here's ch15! Enjoy, read, and (of course) Reveiw! ^_^!
Chapter Fifteen
Of Funerals, Fireworks, and Werewolves
Ginny and Draco left in the early afternoon after promising Harmony that they would come back on their next Hogsmeade weekend. Ron didn't look to thrilled with the idea of Draco's return, but relunctantly agreed, for Ginny's sake. He pulled Draco aside.
"Malfoy." He said in a low and threatening voice. "You break her heart, I'll break you." Malfoy's eyebrows raised as if he doubted it, but he nodded nonetheless. Ginny was oblivious to this little conversation, and was deeply immersed in conversation with Sirius.
"She reminds me of Kitty." Sirius said, watching them go.
"Me too." Crystal said. She kissed Sirius. "I'd better go too," And she followed them into the trees.
"Who's Kitty?" Harmony asked curiously.
"Long story."
"We've got time." Ron said.....
The day before classes were due to begin, yet another mysterious package arrived for Harry. At first Hermione thought it was from Sirius, but then she realized that she didn't recognize the writing on the package.
"Harry?" She said cautiously. "This came for you." Harry took it curiously.
"Who's it from?" He asked.
"Dunno..." Hermione replied, peering over his shoulder. Harry studied the package and gasped, his eyes opened wide.
"What, WHAT?!" Hermione said anxiously.
"It's from....Aunt Petunia." Harry said in a voice faint with shock. Hermione's eyes opened wide.
"What's the note say?" She asked. Harry opened it and read it aloud for her benifit.
"'Harry-This was gift from your mother. ~Your Aunt'. Short and Sweet." Harry said. "I wonder why SHE would send me something of my mother's."
"I don't want to know 'why' I want to know 'what'! Open it, Harry!" Hermione coaxed. Harry carefully opened the parcel and the box, and carefully pulled out it's contents.
A unicorn. A unicorn carved from some sort of crystal. Hermione was transfixed. Lily must have really loved unicorns, it was obvious that it had cost a fortune.
"Why would Petunia give me this?" Harry asked, his emerald eyes wide at the
beautiful figure of his mother's unicorn.
"I have no idea." Hermione said honestly. They were gearing up for a conversation on the subject when Professor McGonagall entered, looking incredibly solomn.
"Potter, Weasley, Granger, please come with me." She said. Harry and Hermione rose, a feeling of foreboding bubbling up in the pit of Hermione's stomach. Ginny followed them.
"You are all very aware of the efforts that have gone into finding Ron Weasley." McGonagall said, sounding very tired, once they were safely in her office. "And after all these weeks we haven't found so much as a speck of a lead that might lead to his return. It's time to face reality." She sighed heavily and swallowed. "Mr. Weasley's funeral is to take place on January the 12. The Weasleys have asked that you, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, prepare a eulogy. You can go." Shocked, Harry and Hermione stood, and Ginny followed suit, staring off into space once again. As they turned to go, McGonagall's hand shot out and landed on Harry's arm. "Not you Potter, I need you for another moment." With that and a quizzical look from Hermione, the girls left.
"I hate to pile more bad news on you, Potter." McGonagall said, and Harry could've sworn there was a tear of sympathy sliding down her cheek.. "But we got a letter from Privet Drive today." She handed him an envelope. "Your aunt was found dead. The motive was discovered to be suicide."
And, once again, Harry and Hermione were, in almost every sense, dead. Ron's funeral....that sealed their last ray of hope. Ginny was...well...Hermione wasn't paying much attention to Ginny, but she knew she was very upset. The evening of January 12 arrived, and Harry and Hermione went onto the lawn of the grounds hand in hand.
* * *
Ron was bored. Bored, bored, bored, bored. He wandered up to the balcony, and was
surprised when Harmony was suddenly floating in front of him, seated on her carpet. She landed it and stood next to Ron, looking out at the blazing sunset.
"What are you thinking?" Harmony asked.
"That I really miss Hogwarts." Ron replied. Harmony sighed. "What?"
"You and Sirius are always talking about Hogwarts. I want to SEE it." She said. Ron suddenly grinned, his eyes alight.
"Do you?" He asked. He hopped onto the carpet. "Then let's go." He extended his hand, which Harmony accepted. She got on.
"We're going to be in so much trouble if we're caught." She said.
"That's why we won't be." Ron replied, heading north with a smile on his face.
* * *
"He was the best friend I ever had, and the one of the bravest people I've ever met, and I don't think any of us will ever forget him." Hermione concluded. By this point her tears were flowing freely, and a few had escaped Harry as well. There was a little round of applause, but most of the student body and friends of the Weasleys weren't really paying attention. They were here to greive for Ron.
That wasn't the reason Ginny Weasley wasn't paying attention, however. She was simply pondering how she got herself into this mess. Here she was, at her brother's funeral, when she had seen him only a few weeks ago, and knew for a fact that he was alive and well. It was the strangest experience of her life.
She looked up, and saw something dart across the full moon. Something that looked strangely like two people on a flying carpet....But weren't those illegal in England?
* * *
Harmony gasped aloud. Ron grinned.
Hogwarts was more beautiful than she could've ever imagined. It's spirals and towers held a beuaty that it's duplicate in Marigold could never even hope to posses. It was bathed with moonlight, and the stars were twinkling merrily.
Still, the Slytherin blood in her held a certain fear of this particular castle. She pushed it aside, trying to focus on the awe inspiring Hogwarts, and, of course, her boyfriend.
"Let's land over there." He said, point to the South Tower.
"On the TOP of it?" Harmony asked, laughing.
"Of course." He said, as if explaining that 2 and 2 were 4.
"Ron, look out!" She said, pointing to the side of the castle. They missed the stone by inches, and went zooming upward.
"I did that on purpose." He said smugly.
"Whatever." She said. They reached the top of the tower. They landed, and Ron leaned over and kissed her gently.
* * *
Harry was staring into space, trying to console Hermione, who was sobbing loudly. She softened and looked up as Dumbledore stood.
"Another young and healthy life stolen as Lord Voldemort rises once again to power." He said gravely. "Ronald Weasley was brave and passionate, and all who knew him will carry his essence for the rest of their lives. He once jokingly said to his elder brothers that he wanted fireworks at his funeral, and so we honor this request."
As Dumbledore sat down, a brilliant fireworks display started up.
* * *
Ron and Harmony were rudely interrupted in the middle of their kissing by an explosion. They turned and Harmony's eyes lighted up.
Fireworks. A display such as Harmony had never seen before. She sat watching them. She turned to say something to Ron, but paused. He had a half-smile on his face, but it was obvious that he was very sad.
"Ron? What's wrong?" Harmony asked, concerned.
"I once told Fred and George that I wanted fireworks at my funeral." Ron said, not staring up at the colorful display, but down at the ground.
"Oh..." Harmony said, she looked down, and saw a gathering of hundreds of people. Ron's funeral.
Ron gulped, looking as though he wanted to fly down there and shout 'Look, it's me! I'm here!' Harmony couldn't stand looking at his face when it was like that. She took his hand and started to sing softly. Ron leaned his head on her shoulder, and when she looked down she saw the streaks of teardrops slowly running down his face.
* * *
Harry was listening and watching the fireworks, only knowing that he felt empty, when he heard it. That voice. The one he had heard on Halloween. He was sure it was the same one, the same feeling of soft breath on angels wings.
Harry sighed, and shifted his weight. While still empty in an unexplainable way, the song seemed to be, temporaraly at least, filling him. It was obvious that Hermione, whose sobbing was only second to that of Mrs. Weasley, did not hear the voice.
* * *
"Do you want to go home?" Harmony asked.
"Which one?" Ron croaked, not taking his eyes off what was obviously the casket.
"Marigold." Harmony whispered. She had a terrible feeling of guilt. If it weren't for HER, Ron would be in Hogwarts, and this funeral would've never happened. (Of course, Harmony didn't know about the Voldemort's plan to kidnap Ron...) She thought that she was just keeping Ron away from those that he loved, simply for herself. Slytherin till the end of time.
"Okay." Ron said, standing up. They got on the carpet and zoomed off into the night. Draco and Ginny were both puzzling why they kept seeing illegal flying carpets dash across the sky.
"Well," Harmony said as they entered their clearing. That was--"
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"
"Uh-oh..." Ron said. They turned to face whoever had caught them. Sirius.
"Why didn't you take ME?!" He demanded, grinning. Ron let out a sigh of relief, and Harmony giggled.
"Sorry, Sirius." She said.
"You'd better be." Sirius replied. "So, where were you?"
"Hogwarts." Ron said nonchalantly.
"Really?" Sirius said. "I got a letter from Crystal. Your...er...funeral is taking place right now, Ron." He looked rather uncomfortable.
"Yeah, we know." Harmony said, biting her lip. Sirius wisely decided not to press the subject.
"Let's head back shall we?" He said. Harmony nodded and turned to Ron. He was looking back in the direction of Hogwarts, his face turned so that Harmony couldn't read the expression. However, she knew that he had that same longing look he had earlier.
"Ron?" She said, nudging him. He turned and nodded.
"So..." Sirius said awkardly, trying to fill the silence that had descended between them. "Crystal said she might be able to sneak out for a few hours tonight. Maybe we could--"
"Ssshhh!" Harmony hissed, putting a finger to her mouth. She held out a hand motioning for them to cease movement. Then they heard it too. A scream. A woman's scream. A woman running their way.
"HELP ME! HELP ME!" The voice cried. The woman it belonged to ran right into Sirius.
"Mindy?!" Sirius said in disbeleif. "What's wrong?!"
"REMUS! Loose! Bit..." And then the blonde passed out. It was then that Ron noticed the blood poring from her right arm, and the large bite marks there.
"A werewolf!" Ron cried, going pale.
"I'll handle this." Sirius said, taking his canine form. He motioned for Ron and Harmony to leave, with the blonde Sirius called Mindy. Ron turned to Harmony, but she was staring into the woods where Mindy had just run from, and listening to the fast approaching werewolf-formerly-known-as-Remus.
"Harmony!" Ron said, grabbing her arm. "Let's GO!" But she refused to move. Ron looked up, and his eyes widened at the sight of the werewolf. He bounded toward the two.
"Premorf Sumer!" Harmony cried, and a jet of white light hit the wolf. It crumpled and began to shake violently. Then it shrunk, assuming the form of Remus Lupin.
"Harmony?" Ron said in awe.
"Where did you learn that spell?" Sirius demanded. Harmony shrugged, her blue eyes open wide. She seemed just as shocked as either of her two companions.
"I don't know," She said. I just KNEW it."
"Slytherin created werewolves." Ron said quietly. There was a pause, then a groan.
"Moony?" Sirius said anxiously. He helped Remus to his feet.
"Wh...what?" Remus said groggily. He looked up at the moon, and his eyes open wide.
"SIRIUS! GET OUT THE HELL OUT OF HERE! I'LL BE TRANSFORMING ANY MINUTE!" He yelled, panicked.
"Take it easy, Moony." Sirius said, but Remus was getting out of control.
"Stupefy!" And yet again, a jet of light from Harmony's wand struck Remus, and he crumpled.
"Was that REALLY necissary?" Sirius said exasperatedly.
"Yes." Harmony said. She magiked him and Mindy onto a stretcher.
"Why don't we erase their memories and send them to Hogwarts?" Ron suggested. Harmony looked at him in disbelief. "NO, Ron!" She cried. "She's been bit by a WEREWOLF! Now she'll be a werewolf too, if she doesn't get some treatment."
"Treatment?" Ron said.
"Of COURSE!" She said, rolling her eyes. "We have that in Marigold. She won't be a werewolf if she gets treatment before the moon sets. Let's GO!" Ron followed Sirius, Harmony, and the two on stretchers a bit slower. Ron wasn't sure that he trusted "Mindy", and he CERTAINLY didn't trust Draco. What if they told Harry that he wasn't dead? What if they brought Harry to Marigold?
"Ron!" Harmony called. "Hurry up back there!"
Chapter Fifteen
Of Funerals, Fireworks, and Werewolves
Ginny and Draco left in the early afternoon after promising Harmony that they would come back on their next Hogsmeade weekend. Ron didn't look to thrilled with the idea of Draco's return, but relunctantly agreed, for Ginny's sake. He pulled Draco aside.
"Malfoy." He said in a low and threatening voice. "You break her heart, I'll break you." Malfoy's eyebrows raised as if he doubted it, but he nodded nonetheless. Ginny was oblivious to this little conversation, and was deeply immersed in conversation with Sirius.
"She reminds me of Kitty." Sirius said, watching them go.
"Me too." Crystal said. She kissed Sirius. "I'd better go too," And she followed them into the trees.
"Who's Kitty?" Harmony asked curiously.
"Long story."
"We've got time." Ron said.....
The day before classes were due to begin, yet another mysterious package arrived for Harry. At first Hermione thought it was from Sirius, but then she realized that she didn't recognize the writing on the package.
"Harry?" She said cautiously. "This came for you." Harry took it curiously.
"Who's it from?" He asked.
"Dunno..." Hermione replied, peering over his shoulder. Harry studied the package and gasped, his eyes opened wide.
"What, WHAT?!" Hermione said anxiously.
"It's from....Aunt Petunia." Harry said in a voice faint with shock. Hermione's eyes opened wide.
"What's the note say?" She asked. Harry opened it and read it aloud for her benifit.
"'Harry-This was gift from your mother. ~Your Aunt'. Short and Sweet." Harry said. "I wonder why SHE would send me something of my mother's."
"I don't want to know 'why' I want to know 'what'! Open it, Harry!" Hermione coaxed. Harry carefully opened the parcel and the box, and carefully pulled out it's contents.
A unicorn. A unicorn carved from some sort of crystal. Hermione was transfixed. Lily must have really loved unicorns, it was obvious that it had cost a fortune.
"Why would Petunia give me this?" Harry asked, his emerald eyes wide at the
beautiful figure of his mother's unicorn.
"I have no idea." Hermione said honestly. They were gearing up for a conversation on the subject when Professor McGonagall entered, looking incredibly solomn.
"Potter, Weasley, Granger, please come with me." She said. Harry and Hermione rose, a feeling of foreboding bubbling up in the pit of Hermione's stomach. Ginny followed them.
"You are all very aware of the efforts that have gone into finding Ron Weasley." McGonagall said, sounding very tired, once they were safely in her office. "And after all these weeks we haven't found so much as a speck of a lead that might lead to his return. It's time to face reality." She sighed heavily and swallowed. "Mr. Weasley's funeral is to take place on January the 12. The Weasleys have asked that you, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, prepare a eulogy. You can go." Shocked, Harry and Hermione stood, and Ginny followed suit, staring off into space once again. As they turned to go, McGonagall's hand shot out and landed on Harry's arm. "Not you Potter, I need you for another moment." With that and a quizzical look from Hermione, the girls left.
"I hate to pile more bad news on you, Potter." McGonagall said, and Harry could've sworn there was a tear of sympathy sliding down her cheek.. "But we got a letter from Privet Drive today." She handed him an envelope. "Your aunt was found dead. The motive was discovered to be suicide."
And, once again, Harry and Hermione were, in almost every sense, dead. Ron's funeral....that sealed their last ray of hope. Ginny was...well...Hermione wasn't paying much attention to Ginny, but she knew she was very upset. The evening of January 12 arrived, and Harry and Hermione went onto the lawn of the grounds hand in hand.
* * *
Ron was bored. Bored, bored, bored, bored. He wandered up to the balcony, and was
surprised when Harmony was suddenly floating in front of him, seated on her carpet. She landed it and stood next to Ron, looking out at the blazing sunset.
"What are you thinking?" Harmony asked.
"That I really miss Hogwarts." Ron replied. Harmony sighed. "What?"
"You and Sirius are always talking about Hogwarts. I want to SEE it." She said. Ron suddenly grinned, his eyes alight.
"Do you?" He asked. He hopped onto the carpet. "Then let's go." He extended his hand, which Harmony accepted. She got on.
"We're going to be in so much trouble if we're caught." She said.
"That's why we won't be." Ron replied, heading north with a smile on his face.
* * *
"He was the best friend I ever had, and the one of the bravest people I've ever met, and I don't think any of us will ever forget him." Hermione concluded. By this point her tears were flowing freely, and a few had escaped Harry as well. There was a little round of applause, but most of the student body and friends of the Weasleys weren't really paying attention. They were here to greive for Ron.
That wasn't the reason Ginny Weasley wasn't paying attention, however. She was simply pondering how she got herself into this mess. Here she was, at her brother's funeral, when she had seen him only a few weeks ago, and knew for a fact that he was alive and well. It was the strangest experience of her life.
She looked up, and saw something dart across the full moon. Something that looked strangely like two people on a flying carpet....But weren't those illegal in England?
* * *
Harmony gasped aloud. Ron grinned.
Hogwarts was more beautiful than she could've ever imagined. It's spirals and towers held a beuaty that it's duplicate in Marigold could never even hope to posses. It was bathed with moonlight, and the stars were twinkling merrily.
Still, the Slytherin blood in her held a certain fear of this particular castle. She pushed it aside, trying to focus on the awe inspiring Hogwarts, and, of course, her boyfriend.
"Let's land over there." He said, point to the South Tower.
"On the TOP of it?" Harmony asked, laughing.
"Of course." He said, as if explaining that 2 and 2 were 4.
"Ron, look out!" She said, pointing to the side of the castle. They missed the stone by inches, and went zooming upward.
"I did that on purpose." He said smugly.
"Whatever." She said. They reached the top of the tower. They landed, and Ron leaned over and kissed her gently.
* * *
Harry was staring into space, trying to console Hermione, who was sobbing loudly. She softened and looked up as Dumbledore stood.
"Another young and healthy life stolen as Lord Voldemort rises once again to power." He said gravely. "Ronald Weasley was brave and passionate, and all who knew him will carry his essence for the rest of their lives. He once jokingly said to his elder brothers that he wanted fireworks at his funeral, and so we honor this request."
As Dumbledore sat down, a brilliant fireworks display started up.
* * *
Ron and Harmony were rudely interrupted in the middle of their kissing by an explosion. They turned and Harmony's eyes lighted up.
Fireworks. A display such as Harmony had never seen before. She sat watching them. She turned to say something to Ron, but paused. He had a half-smile on his face, but it was obvious that he was very sad.
"Ron? What's wrong?" Harmony asked, concerned.
"I once told Fred and George that I wanted fireworks at my funeral." Ron said, not staring up at the colorful display, but down at the ground.
"Oh..." Harmony said, she looked down, and saw a gathering of hundreds of people. Ron's funeral.
Ron gulped, looking as though he wanted to fly down there and shout 'Look, it's me! I'm here!' Harmony couldn't stand looking at his face when it was like that. She took his hand and started to sing softly. Ron leaned his head on her shoulder, and when she looked down she saw the streaks of teardrops slowly running down his face.
* * *
Harry was listening and watching the fireworks, only knowing that he felt empty, when he heard it. That voice. The one he had heard on Halloween. He was sure it was the same one, the same feeling of soft breath on angels wings.
Harry sighed, and shifted his weight. While still empty in an unexplainable way, the song seemed to be, temporaraly at least, filling him. It was obvious that Hermione, whose sobbing was only second to that of Mrs. Weasley, did not hear the voice.
* * *
"Do you want to go home?" Harmony asked.
"Which one?" Ron croaked, not taking his eyes off what was obviously the casket.
"Marigold." Harmony whispered. She had a terrible feeling of guilt. If it weren't for HER, Ron would be in Hogwarts, and this funeral would've never happened. (Of course, Harmony didn't know about the Voldemort's plan to kidnap Ron...) She thought that she was just keeping Ron away from those that he loved, simply for herself. Slytherin till the end of time.
"Okay." Ron said, standing up. They got on the carpet and zoomed off into the night. Draco and Ginny were both puzzling why they kept seeing illegal flying carpets dash across the sky.
"Well," Harmony said as they entered their clearing. That was--"
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"
"Uh-oh..." Ron said. They turned to face whoever had caught them. Sirius.
"Why didn't you take ME?!" He demanded, grinning. Ron let out a sigh of relief, and Harmony giggled.
"Sorry, Sirius." She said.
"You'd better be." Sirius replied. "So, where were you?"
"Hogwarts." Ron said nonchalantly.
"Really?" Sirius said. "I got a letter from Crystal. Your...er...funeral is taking place right now, Ron." He looked rather uncomfortable.
"Yeah, we know." Harmony said, biting her lip. Sirius wisely decided not to press the subject.
"Let's head back shall we?" He said. Harmony nodded and turned to Ron. He was looking back in the direction of Hogwarts, his face turned so that Harmony couldn't read the expression. However, she knew that he had that same longing look he had earlier.
"Ron?" She said, nudging him. He turned and nodded.
"So..." Sirius said awkardly, trying to fill the silence that had descended between them. "Crystal said she might be able to sneak out for a few hours tonight. Maybe we could--"
"Ssshhh!" Harmony hissed, putting a finger to her mouth. She held out a hand motioning for them to cease movement. Then they heard it too. A scream. A woman's scream. A woman running their way.
"HELP ME! HELP ME!" The voice cried. The woman it belonged to ran right into Sirius.
"Mindy?!" Sirius said in disbeleif. "What's wrong?!"
"REMUS! Loose! Bit..." And then the blonde passed out. It was then that Ron noticed the blood poring from her right arm, and the large bite marks there.
"A werewolf!" Ron cried, going pale.
"I'll handle this." Sirius said, taking his canine form. He motioned for Ron and Harmony to leave, with the blonde Sirius called Mindy. Ron turned to Harmony, but she was staring into the woods where Mindy had just run from, and listening to the fast approaching werewolf-formerly-known-as-Remus.
"Harmony!" Ron said, grabbing her arm. "Let's GO!" But she refused to move. Ron looked up, and his eyes widened at the sight of the werewolf. He bounded toward the two.
"Premorf Sumer!" Harmony cried, and a jet of white light hit the wolf. It crumpled and began to shake violently. Then it shrunk, assuming the form of Remus Lupin.
"Harmony?" Ron said in awe.
"Where did you learn that spell?" Sirius demanded. Harmony shrugged, her blue eyes open wide. She seemed just as shocked as either of her two companions.
"I don't know," She said. I just KNEW it."
"Slytherin created werewolves." Ron said quietly. There was a pause, then a groan.
"Moony?" Sirius said anxiously. He helped Remus to his feet.
"Wh...what?" Remus said groggily. He looked up at the moon, and his eyes open wide.
"SIRIUS! GET OUT THE HELL OUT OF HERE! I'LL BE TRANSFORMING ANY MINUTE!" He yelled, panicked.
"Take it easy, Moony." Sirius said, but Remus was getting out of control.
"Stupefy!" And yet again, a jet of light from Harmony's wand struck Remus, and he crumpled.
"Was that REALLY necissary?" Sirius said exasperatedly.
"Yes." Harmony said. She magiked him and Mindy onto a stretcher.
"Why don't we erase their memories and send them to Hogwarts?" Ron suggested. Harmony looked at him in disbelief. "NO, Ron!" She cried. "She's been bit by a WEREWOLF! Now she'll be a werewolf too, if she doesn't get some treatment."
"Treatment?" Ron said.
"Of COURSE!" She said, rolling her eyes. "We have that in Marigold. She won't be a werewolf if she gets treatment before the moon sets. Let's GO!" Ron followed Sirius, Harmony, and the two on stretchers a bit slower. Ron wasn't sure that he trusted "Mindy", and he CERTAINLY didn't trust Draco. What if they told Harry that he wasn't dead? What if they brought Harry to Marigold?
"Ron!" Harmony called. "Hurry up back there!"