Chapter 9
There weren't many things that could have kept Holly's attention away from the many fascinating sights around the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore's account of the history of Lord Voldemort was definitely one of those things. Holly remained largely silent while Dumbledore related the long tale to her. There were holes in the story, to which Dumbledore readily admitted. He did not have a clear memory of her grandmother, although he expressed certainty that the spy in question that Voldemort had sought was indeed her grandmother. He did not know her grandmother's family history, but he described, in rich detail, the family history of the Potters, going back to the time of her grandfather through their inescapable encounter with the Dark Lord.
He explained Voldemort's search for power, the cases of mistaken identity, and the unusual circumstances of Voldemort's downfall. He finally told her how Voldemort had reemerged over the past few years, and how her own cousin had been trapped in the middle of the turmoil. Holly had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from choking up over the pain of a boy she had never even met in person.
After a long time, the Headmaster fell silent and waited for the young woman seated before him to process all this information. She stared at the wall and twisted her lip in concentration. "Voldemort is magically connected to Harry, because of how the curse hit him. Wouldn't Harry also somehow be connected to my mother?"
"If she were alive, it is quite possible, but there is no way to ever know that." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "I am thinking that he has more of a connection to you."
"That explains the dreams I've had."
"So it would seem," Dumbledore replied. "Harry has had more than his share of interesting dreams. Some might have even been visions."
Holly considered this, then asked cautiously, "How can you tell if something is inevitable?" Dumbledore tried to appear confused, but Holly saw right through it, and she continued, "I had a dream a few weeks ago, and it was more vivid than almost all the others. Someone died in it, and I think it was Harry."
Dumbledore exhaled deeply and his shoulders slumped. "Nothing is ever set in stone, Holly." His voice was tired. "The future is always in the hands of those who control the present."
There was more than one meaning to that response, Holly was sure of it. "What are you hiding from me?"
Dumbledore cracked a knowing smile. "We really can't keep a thing from you, can we?" Holly glared at him over the tops of her glasses and folded her arms. Dumbledore nodded and answered, "During the rise of Voldemort, a prediction was made. It most certainly appeared to have come to pass, with Harry. Now, it appears that part of the prediction may have been misinterpreted."
"Misinterpreted how?"
"Part of this prediction that was believed to refer solely to Harry may also refer to you."
If Holly was taken aback by this, she covered it well with irritation. Plopping her chin on the cupped palms of her hands, she mumbled to herself, "Ah. Yes. Wonderful. Very good. Just what I need. In twenty-four hours, not only do I find out I'm a witch, I'm also a target for evil wizards and I'm part of some insane prediction. Outstanding." She looked up at Dumbledore's amused expression. "Do you have this prediction written somewhere?"
"There is one written copy, but unfortunately, it is not in my possession at the moment, and no, I do not have it memorized." As though suddenly remembering something, he pulled out a gold pocket watch and studied it carefully. Holly cranned her neck and saw that, like everything else around there, the watch was not normal. She had just long enough to observe tiny planets moving around the face of the watch before Dumbledore flipped it closed again and said, "Right now, we are expecting a visitor at any moment."
Holly's face lit up. "Is it Harry? Arthur Weasley?"
"No, Holly, we can't do that quite yet, I'm afraid."
"But why . . ." Holly was interrupted when the fireplace blazed with green flames and a fairly average-looking man stepped through. He was wearing plain robes, and despite an apparent age of mid-thirties, his light brown hair was speckled with grey.
"Remus!" Dumbledore greeted him merrily. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. Right on time, too."
"Anything I can do to help, sir. Sirius was in a fit because I wouldn't let him come. Wants to know what's going on, and he's driving himself into a stir over Harry's last letter." He paused and turned, almost hesitantly, towards Holly and looked her over. "It's really true, then. How is this possible?"
"It's a very long story, Remus, but I assure you, it's quite possible. I will fill you in on the rest of the story soon, but for now, we much finish making arrangements."
Holly looked between the two wizards. "Arrangements for what?"
Dumbledore actually appeared slightly sheepish. "I should have told you before, but in light of our conversation earlier, and how late you slept, I ran out of time. Holly, meet Remus Lupin. He was previously a professor here, and has also been a long-time friend of your family."
Holly stood and shook Lupin's hand in greeting, saying, "Nice to meet you." She then turned back to Dumbledore. "What does this have to do with me?"
Lupin picked up on the cue. "Professor Dumbledore asked me if I would be willing to let you stay at my house and begin teaching you wizarding skills. There are some things which I should really leave to the other professors, but I can give you a head start before classes begin."
"Will I see Harry there?" Holly's mind was now stuck on one track. So many new faces all at once, and only one of them bore a resemblance to hers. That seemed to be the one face she was being prevented from seeing.
"I'm sorry, Holly," Dumbledore conceded. "Not this time."
"Why can't I see him?" Holly growled angrily. "I've had almost no family most of my life, here's a member of my family I've never met, I've heard all about him, but I don't get to meet him? What kind of joke is that?"
"It's not a joke. It's actually quite serious, and there are several reasons to keep you apart right now."
"Such as?" Holly folded her arms skeptically.
"Harry is one of the largest targets in the magical world. If word about you somehow got out, if anyone figured out who you were, and you happened to be in the same place as Harry, I do not think we would be able to protect you, outside of Hogwarts."
"What if I don't want to be protected?"
"Remember that you would also be putting Harry at the same risk."
Holly cringed, nodded, then asked, "What are the other reasons?"
Dumbledore was considering his answer when the fireplace flared up again and man with longish, slightly unkempt black hair tumbled into the room, stormed up to Lupin, and began to yell irritably.
"That's it, Moony! I've waited long enough. You said someone might be coming to the house, and it has to do with Harry, and I'm worried sick! What's going on?" He was nearly nose to nose with his friend. Lupin wrinkled his face in disgust and wiped a fleck of spit from his cheek. He leaned back slightly and jerked his thumb to the side, towards Holly. Sirius shot him a quick glare, then turned to see what Lupin was pointing at. He did a double-take.
"What in Merlin's name?" he stammered before rushing to Holly, eyes wide. "What's going on here? This isn't Harry, is it? They didn't curse him into being a woman, did they?"
Lupin moved to stop Sirius's outburst, but Holly had beaten him to it. She was on her feet, toe to toe with the frantic wizard, which was somewhat comical, as she was more than half a foot shorter than him. "Cursed? Excuse me? Whoa, buddy. My name is Holly, if you please. Now relax, take a deep breath, and back down. Sit. Stay. Good dog."
Sirius automatically backed down and sank into the nearest chair, his eyes threatening to jump out of their sockets. He turned to Dumbledore, who seemed to find the whole incident very amusing. Sirius's mouth barely moved as he said, "Tell me this is a joke. You've enchanted Harry, and it's just a new way to hide him, and he's going to come stay with us, although I must admit he makes a better boy."
Lupin had to grab Holly before she launched a full attack on Sirius. "Of all the nerve! What a thing to say! Who the hell is this guy?" Holly was livid, Remus was laughing hysterically, and Sirius began to look purely confused. "That's not Harry?"
Dumbledore finally intervened. "No Sirius, she is not Harry. She is, however, Harry's first cousin. She will need a place to stay for a time, and under the circumstances, I had asked Remus if he would be willing to take on another boarder."
"And you didn't bother to ask me, or even tell me? Why not?" Irritation was starting to show in Sirius's demeanor.
"Ah, Sirius, I had wanted to be sure Holly was open to the arrangement before making any final decisions, and then I would have informed you immediately. I wanted to give you a chance to adjust to the idea before meeting Holly to avoid subjecting her to your inevitable 'reaction'."
Sirius now looked absolutely embarrassed. He glanced at Holly sideways and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean . . . Hey! How did you know . . . why did you give me dog commands?"
Holly shrugged. "You listened, didn't you?"
Dumbledore laughed heartily, but now it was Lupin's turn to look confused. "Yes, why did you do that? Dumbledore, you didn't tell her, did you?"
"Tell me what?" Holly asked.
"No, I did not tell her," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, "but I would advise you to be completely honest with this woman. There's not a thing you can hide from her without her being aware of the deception."
"Tell me what?" Holly demanded, raising her voice. "I mean, he's not really a dog . . . but then . . ." Holly looked at him strangely. Sirius made a sound like a whimper in his throat. She finally smiled at him. "And who are you, now?"
Sirius lifted himself part way out of his chair and extended a hand. "Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. Nice to meet you."
She shook his outstretched hand. "Holly Potter. It's a pleasure, I think." She winked at him to let him know she was just teasing. The tension in the room diminished significantly.
Sirius took a deep breath and asked, "Professor Dumbledore, sir, how is this possible? How could we not have known?"
"That is the same long story I will be telling tonight, which is the other reason I needed to contact both of you. We will be holding a meeting tonight to discuss the next step in reestablishing the ministry, and we will also be sharing this development," he indicated Holly.
Lupin swallowed and sank into a chair. "So it really is true. The Ministry is gone," he said in a dry voice. "I didn't want to believe it."
"The Ministry building," Dumbledore said forcefully, his voice radiating strength, "is gone. Some lives were tragically lost. The heart and soul of the ministry is still quite viable. From the ashes of this tragedy, we will create a new order."
Holly watched this whole exchange carefully. She cleared her throat. They all looked at her. "So, if I'm going to be living a whole new life here, with these people, I'm going to have to do a few things first. I need to get some clothes from home eventually. I suppose I'd at least owe it to my father to say goodbye, although I don't much care either way. He comes home in the afternoon. Best bet is to catch him in the evening."
Lupin nodded. "We'll also need to get you a wand, I'm sure. Take a trip down to Olivander's. That means we'll have to disguise you somehow. We can't parade you around when, well, the resemblance is too obvious. The glasses will have to go."
"No way. I'm blind as a bat without them." She sighed. "I do have contact lenses at home though. I could wear them for a little while if I needed to."
"Contact lenses?" asked Sirius.
"Never mind that, Sirius," said Dumbledore, patting him on the shoulder. "Holly will be able to return home this evening to retrieve her belongings. We can then begin her training properly."
"And we'll return home for now," said Lupin as he stood and stretched. "We'll set up a room for Holly, and Sirius will attempt to make himself presentable for the meeting tonight, won'tcha boy?" Lupin patted Sirius on the head furiously.
Sirius swatted at him. "Stop that! I am perfectly presentable."
Lupin ducked out of arm-range of Sirius and shook his head.
"What then?" Sirius asked, very irritated.
Lupin pointed at Sirius's feet, and everyone in the room looked down at a very furry pair of pink bunny slippers. "Oh, those . . . well . . . My feet were cold!"
Everyone laughed, except for Sirius. Dumbledore began herding the two younger wizards towards the fireplace. "The meeting shall start at midnight. I will have contacted everyone else by then. Arabella is out of contact, but we should have two people returning from missions tonight. You take care of yourselves." Lupin thanked Dumbledore and stepped through the fireplace, but Sirius paused and looked back at Holly for a long moment, his emotions a mix of sadness and uncertainty.
She was not Harry. She looked to be a couple of years older, and her life had been different, but still, her resemblance to her cousin seemed to go beyond the physical appearance. Sirius found himself suddenly feeling protective of the young witch. Perhaps, where he'd been unable to protect Harry, he might be able to do something to help Holly. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, inclining her head towards him, and then he was gone.
Dumbledore turned to Holly. "I have some thing to which I must attend. If you wish, please feel free to explore the school and grounds. Just be aware that the third floor corridor on the left-hand side is prohibited, and I must tell you not to venture into the Dark Forest beyond the grounds. I will contact you when it is time to retrieve your things."
"Thank you, sir." She hesitated, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. She smiled. "Thanks for everything. I mean it. And Remus and Sirius seem very nice, although I think Sirius could use a sedative. He really takes his role as godfather seriously, doesn't he?"
"You don't have to be able to read minds to see that. He most certainly does."
"That would explain it. Now, the other thing. Why do I picture a large, black, shaggy dog whenever I look at him?"
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"Stop chittering like a rat, Wormtail, and get in here."
The door creaked open and Peter Pettigrew stepped into the room, his hands tucked behind his back. Voldemort was seated in his usual chair before the fireplace, drumming his fingers together lightly. "What are your findings?"
"My Lord, almost nothing remained. Arthur Weasley seems to be taking charge of their recovery effort."
"How interesting. Won't Malfoy be pleased. Now, there's something else, is there?"
Pettigrew's head bowed, and he fumbled with something behind his back. "As I was spying, I began scouring the wreckage. My right paw began tingling over one spot. I dug down, and I found this. It has some sort of spell or charm on it."
He held out the small crystal, which was still gleaming brightly. Voldemort plucked it out of his hand swiftly, making Pettigrew flinch, then looked over the shiny stone. He placed it on the table in front of him, then passed his wand over it like a dowsing rod. His eyes narrowed in a sinister smirk. "Very good, Wormtail. This stone has a protective charm placed on it, and it's linked to something. Bring this to McNair." He placed the crystal back in Pettigrew's hand. "Have him trace the charm. Discover what has been linked to it."
Pettigrew blurted quickly, "What shall we do when we trace the link?"
Voldemort narrowed his eyes. "Just when I began giving you some credit for not being a complete idiot. You will find the link, and then you may 'investigate' the location at sunset. No point in missing an opportunity, is there?"
"No, my Lord . . . I mean, yes my Lord . . . I mean," Pettigrew squeaked.
"Wormtail, leave before you begin to irritate me."
"Yes, my Lord!" Pettigrew fled the room.
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Supper at the Burrow that evening was more quiet than anyone could remember it. The day had been busy enough to keep everyone slightly distracted. Harry was almost grateful for the ache in his shoulders and back from the day's labours. He felt that if he were to be too comfortable, it would be wrong somehow. At least, the soreness gave him something to keep his mind occupied. Although the guilt over Cedric's death had been lessened, the memory brought another kind of pain now. People around him were disappearing.
He picked absentmindedly at his potatoes, letting his thoughts drift. This must have been what it felt like before Voldemort fell from power fourteen years ago. With that understanding, he could see why people refused to even speak Voldemort's name. He could also see why people regarded his own self so highly, although he still wished they wouldn't. He had no idea how he'd really stopped the Dark Lord in the first place, if it was even really his doing at all. It may possibly not have been him at all, he mused. He certainly had no idea how to stop Voldemort now. He was no hero, nobody's poster-child, not really. He just seemed to be the heir of a legacy out of his control and beyond his understanding. He just hoped he had the courage to live up to that legacy.
Ron elbowed him lightly, pulling him from his thoughts. The Weasley's were picking up their plates and leaving the table silently. Penelope Clearwater would be arriving shortly. Harry looked out the window and saw the sun beginning to brush the tops of the trees. He nodded grimly at Ron as he stood. This was not going to be an easy evening.
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"Dumbledore, sir?"
The Headmaster spun his chair around towards the fireplace. "Ah, Sirius. I was expecting you to contact me sometime this afternoon, although I must say I had thought you would not wait this long. Please, come right over."
Dumbledore reached onto his desk and closed the book he had been examining, folding several sheets of parchment between the pages. He tucked the book into a desk drawer as Sirius came through the fireplace. "Professor Dumbledore, I need to talk to you."
"I had assumed that much already, Sirius," Dumbledore laughed softly.
"Oh, yes, right." Sirius sat on the edge of nearest chair and hunched over, hands in his lap. "First, I wanted to say I was sorry for how I behaved. I was out of line, and if Holly is in any way still mad at me, I wanted to be able to apologize to her."
"I do not believe Holly is still mad at you, and she seems to be looking forward to staying at Remus's place. She's a very perceptive witch, and once you had calmed down, she could see that you were merely very protective of Harry."
Sirius nodded, running his fingers through the back of his hair, scratching thoughtfully. "That's another thing I was wondering. That was absolutely uncanny. Did she actually know I'm an Animagus?"
"Not precisely," said Dumbledore. "She does, however, have a somewhat rare magical trait that enables her to understand people's minds, to give a very crude description. It's an ability that hasn't been seen in Britain for a very long time. Holly does not truly understand this herself. She has also been separated from the magical community for most of her life, and has been thrown into this in a very harsh manner. It is a wonder she's adjusted as well as she has, but once the events of the past two days begin to sink in, she will probably need some support. I was hoping that you might be able to provide that."
Sirius had folded both of his hands behind his head. "Sometimes, sir, I think you can read minds, but that's part of what I had come to ask about. If I can't help out Harry directly right now, perhaps I can help Holly. They're so much alike; I can't help but feel protective."
"Be careful not to become to overtly protective, Sirius," Dumbledore admonished sternly. "She is not Harry, although many of their similarities are more than coincidence of their blood relation. I have some thoughts on that concept, but now is not the time for such things. She does need to be protected, as she could become a target at any time. Still, judging by what little I know of her, she would probably take great offense to someone being over-protective. She's an adult, and what she needs is a friend."
"I'm willing to try, sir, but I'm still wondering, why can't she at least meet Harry? Keeping them in the same place for a long period of time might be risky, but why not introduce them?"
The Headmaster sighed softly, then leaned forward on his desk. "I will give you the full details tonight, as much as I know, but for now, let me explain it this way. The night Lily and James died was also the night Holly's mother died, and the events are closely related. Holly wasn't there, physically, but she was able to witness it. Somehow, she and Harry formed a bond that night. She survived, Harry survived, and Voldemort survived. The fact that they have remained physically separated all these years has prevented that bond from manifesting itself fully."
Sirius wrinkled up one side of his face, not making sense of any of this. "Why would that be such a bad thing?"
"It is already quite obvious that Harry will be an extremely powerful wizard. He has demonstrated this strength in his encounters with Voldemort. He has inherited traits from his parents, but also from Voldemort through a magical bond. Holly is in a similar situation. It is likely that not only has she inherited her abilities in witchcraft and wizardry from her mother, she may also share traits with Harry through the bond I suspect they share. The problem lies in that she has not had four years of magical training, and that I do not yet know how profound this bond may be. Holly has only survived the last two days out of an unlikely combination of luck and cleverness. I suspect that if the bond between Holly and Harry strengthens itself fully, Voldemort may become aware of it. If they are not ready, I do not know how we could protect either of them."
Sirius sat quietly for a moment. He finally whispered softly, "Will this ever be over, Dumbledore? Will we ever be able to live normally, without worrying every minute of the day whether we'll loose somebody else close to us?"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "I hope so, Sirius. Someday, yes, I hope so. This evening, the Weasley's are holding a small, private memorial service for Percy. I will be attending if it is at all possible. None of us wish to see any more such services."
Siruis looked dumbfounded. "Percy?? I didn't know. My god, was it from the Ministry attack?"
Dumbledore closed his eyes for a brief moment and bowed his head slightly. "He was one of many. Too many." Dumbledore opened his eyes again and peered over the tops of his spectacles at Sirius. "For now, you can help Holly. Try to avoid the topic of why she can't see Harry, but tell her what she needs to know. Tonight, she needs to retrieve some things from her house. As much as she claims to hate her father, this may not be easy for her. If you wish . . ."
"I'd love to go with her," Sirius said quickly, a grin returning to his face. "What can make a person feel better than a lovable, shaggy dog?"
"Pink bunny slippers, perhaps?" Dumbledore said causally. The veins on Sirius's neck bulged slightly, but Dumbledore simply picked up a small candy dish and held it towards the flustered man. "Lemon drop?"
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Harry stood behind the small group of family and friends that had gathered behind the Weasley's garden. The sun had dipped behind the edge of the nearby hills, throwing a golden glow on the tops of the trees and the roof of the Burrow. It was a beautiful afternoon, but somehow, that wasn't much of a comfort. Penelope had arrived, and it was obvious that she had already cried herself nearly to the point of exhaustion. Every so often, another strangled sob escaped her. She stood near the front of the group, clinging to Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley was close behind his wife, with his hands on her shoulders. Ever so often, she would reach up and grab his hand, just to remind herself that he was still there. Bill and Charlie had charged themselves with taking care of Ginny. Ron stood just behind them, next to Hermione. Harry had chosen to stand by himself, behind all of them.
Fred and George and prepared quite a memorial for Percy; a statue of a lion to represent Percy as a Gryffindor. In front of it had been laid Percy's Head Boy badge, which Harry had found in the fire, and the old Prefect badge that had been left on the shelf at home. Penelope had left a bouquet of flowers, and Mrs. Weasley had placed his partially-completed Christmas sweater neatly folded with the "P" facing upwards, but nobody else quite seemed to know what to leave for him. A row of candles stood, unlit, behind the statue. The twins stood on either side of the statue and Fred began to speak.
"We considered carefully what we wanted to say . . "
". . . and how we wanted to say it . . ."
". . . and we decided that it would be an insult to Percy's memory if we did anything to let this tragedy hurt us as a family, or change the way we live."
Mrs. Weasley started to look at the boys suspiciously, but Mr. Weasley squeezed her shoulder, letting her know it was ok.
Fred continued. "Percy was headstrong and determined. He didn't let things get in the way between him and his duty. I remember the Halloween of my third year, when the troll got into the dungeons. Percy didn't even blink twice as he led the Gryffindors back to the common room. It was his duty to keep them safe, and even though we told him he was being far too uptight about it . . ."
". . . many times . . ."
". . . he was doing his job, and doing it well. Everyone returned safely to the common room . . ."
". . . except for Ron and company, who decided to take on the troll themselves . . ."
". . . but Percy stuck to his duty. He wouldn't want us to forget ours, especially now. He wouldn't want us to let You-Know-Who win by forgetting to keep living our lives. That's our duty to each other and to ourselves. Thank you, Percy."
Fred withdrew his wand and pointed it at the first candle. "Lumos Incendium." The candle burst to life.
George then took up the cue. "We'd like for everyone to say something about Percy, one of the ways he made our lives better, a story about him, or a prayer for him. When you're done, light the next candle, until everyone has said something, and all the candles are lit."
Mr. Weasley stepped forward, and began to speak, but Harry barely heard him. His eyes drifted over the landscape, and his mind drifted to an empty place where nothing seemed to follow him but a hollow pain. Every so often, he'd look back towards the row of candles and count the lit ones. Three, then five, then nine were lit. Harry watched as Ron walked over and lit the tenth candle. It took him a moment to notice that everyone seemed to be watching him, and he realized with a start that it was his turn to speak. He thought rapidly for a moment, then took a small step forward, but remained at the back of the circle.
"Someone very wise once told me that it does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live. I guess now is the time for us to face life, reality, and our responsibilities, but we can't let our dreams die either. Percy worked hard to make his dreams a reality, and we need to keep working hard so that the peace we seek will someday be more than a dream." At that point, the emotions he had held back finally rose to the surface, and his vision blurred through the moisture welling up in his eyes. He blinked a couple of times, then aimed his wand towards the 11th candle and whispered, "Lumos Incendium."
"Very well said, Harry," a tired voice from behind him said. Harry snapped around to see Dumbledore standing just behind him, as though he had been there for a long time. Dumbledore continued, "To dwell on dreams, to the exclusion of all else, is a danger we must avoid. Reality is a harsh place right now, and it is tempting to seek to retreat from it. Instead, we should use our hopes and dreams as a guide, to inspire us to work for the good of others. In this way, we become inspiration for others, like a candle in the dark. Lumos Incendium." The carefully aimed spell lit the 12th candle, and in the twilight, the line of flames cast dancing shadows across the faces of all assembled.
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In the twilight, the flames cast dancing shadows across Holly's face as she fought, tooth and nail, to reach what was left of her house. She knew it was futile, and she was secretly grateful that Sirius was there to hold her back. Tucked into the woods in which Holly had once played as a child, they had arrived in time to see a group of darkly robed figures Disapparate from around the far side of the house, just as the flames had begun to engulf the roof. Sirius had reacted immediately, throwing them both to the ground and out of sight, but no more Death Eaters remained. Now, he knelt beside her, staring back and forth between the house and Holly, not sure what to say, or even if there was anything he could say.
Holly grabbed a handful of last autumn's leaves from the ground and wrenched them to shreds in her fists. Sirius made a move to put his hand on her shoulder, but she batted him away. She stared at the fire in total disbelief, her eyes starting to sting, and her throat becoming tight. She cried out in anguish. "No! Gods, no! How could they . . . how did they find me? The house, my father . . . I never wanted . . ."
Sirius felt like a failure. He had just committed himself to helping someone he considered to be a new member of the family, and there he was, powerless to help as she lost her home and her last parent. Vicious memories of what had happened fourteen years ago played themselves through his mind, as fresh as if it had happened yesterday, and once again, he was powerless do anything.
He looked down again as Holly took a sharp breath, and she spoke through choked tears. "We didn't part on good terms. I had left for a hiking trip, and he didn't want me to go. He never wanted me to go anywhere, and I hated him for that. I still didn't want this to happen. Not this, not now . . ." Her voice faded off, and she began shredding another handful of leaves.
"Maybe your father wasn't home. We don't know yet."
She shook her head and pointed at the driveway. "His car is here. He was home."
Sirius stared at her bleakly, searching for something to say. "I'm sorry."
Holly turned and glared at him, her eyes flashing furiously. She spoke in a voice between a growl and a pained cry. "Don't ever give me an apology. I don't want it, I don't need it."
Sirius flinched. He shouldn't have said that. He waited another moment, then tried a new approach, "Holly, maybe we should get out of here. They could come back."
Her eyes seeming to drill right to the back of his skull. "I'm not leaving, not yet. There has to be something, anything." She jumped up and began running towards the house.
"Holly, there's nothing you can do! It's gone!" He caught up with her quickly with his longer legs, grabbed her by the arm and spun her around just before she reached the edge of the yard. "What are you trying to do? We'll send people tomorrow to search, but it's gone. You can't save it, you can't stop it."
"I don't know what I'm trying to do. You tell me!" Somewhere through her rage and sorrow, a trace of fear cracked through the surface. "I barely knew my mum. My dad just died. The home I grew up in is in flames, and I'm leaving behind everything I've ever known. You tell me what I'm trying to do, because I don't know anymore." She collapsed to her knees on the ground and leaned against one of the trees at the edge of the yard she used to climb to escape her father. She brushed her hand back and forth through the leaves and cried silently.
Sirius hunched down with his back to the house, his shape nothing more than a silhouette to Holly. "I don't know what to tell you, because I don't know what to do anymore either. I'm sorry you ever had to be part of this. You didn't deserve to have your life uprooted. Harry's life was uprooted when he was a year old, and I couldn't do a thing to help him either. I wish there was something I could do." He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn't push him away.
"Just help me to understand all of this, I guess." Her voice was thin and strained. "I'm used to being on my own, but for once, I think I need someone to talk to."
Sirius nodded, then jumped up with a start. "Holly! Don't move! There's a snake!"
"What? Oy! Seymore!" she exclaimed and reached down to pick up the small serpent, who immediately wrapped itself around her hand, looking quite at home.
Sirius stared at Holly. He began to suspect that there was never a dull moment with this girl. "You know this snake, like a pet?" he asked in disbelief.
"Well, she's more of a friend than a pet. Great company, trust me." She rubbed Seymore's head slowly, and the snake rested her head on the back of Holly's hand drowsily, flicking her tongue out periodically. "Want to pet her?" Holly held out her hand with the sleeping snake.
"Uh, thanks, but no," Sirius said warily.
"Ok, but I'm taking her back with me." Holly's voice became tense again. "I need something from home."
Sirius nodded his understanding, although it was clear he wasn't too fond of having a snake for a houseguest. He made a move to get up, but Holly caught the corner of his sleeve. "Sirius, what day is today?"
"August 1st, why?"
"With everything that was happening, I just lost track of time and forgot." She stared off blankly, and Sirius could see the moisture building at the corner of her eye.
"What's important about August 1st?"
She broke a short sob. "Today was my birthday. Some birthday."
Holly turned her face back towards the house in anguish. She could see lights from fire-trucks and police cars at the far end of the road, moving towards the house. She looked around the yard one last time, set her jaw firmly, and turned back to Sirius. "We should go now."
He helped her to her feet, and they walked back into the woods where the Portkey was waiting for them.
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A/N: If you've had the pleasure of reading this far, I really do appreciate reviews. It lets me know if people have been reading, and helps me to evaluate the story for re-working.
I've been overwhelmed with schoolwork lately (university life, what can I say?) but I promise I have not given up on the story. Chapter 10 is in the works, and we'll find our characters at Hogwarts soon enough! If you have questions about the story, leave an e-mail address with the review, and I'll reply immediately, OR send me an instant message on AIM at pitcha126 (preferable) or on Yahoo at chelle126. I'd say to send me an owl, but I know most muggles find that difficult. ;)
Enjoy!
Phoenix
There weren't many things that could have kept Holly's attention away from the many fascinating sights around the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore's account of the history of Lord Voldemort was definitely one of those things. Holly remained largely silent while Dumbledore related the long tale to her. There were holes in the story, to which Dumbledore readily admitted. He did not have a clear memory of her grandmother, although he expressed certainty that the spy in question that Voldemort had sought was indeed her grandmother. He did not know her grandmother's family history, but he described, in rich detail, the family history of the Potters, going back to the time of her grandfather through their inescapable encounter with the Dark Lord.
He explained Voldemort's search for power, the cases of mistaken identity, and the unusual circumstances of Voldemort's downfall. He finally told her how Voldemort had reemerged over the past few years, and how her own cousin had been trapped in the middle of the turmoil. Holly had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from choking up over the pain of a boy she had never even met in person.
After a long time, the Headmaster fell silent and waited for the young woman seated before him to process all this information. She stared at the wall and twisted her lip in concentration. "Voldemort is magically connected to Harry, because of how the curse hit him. Wouldn't Harry also somehow be connected to my mother?"
"If she were alive, it is quite possible, but there is no way to ever know that." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "I am thinking that he has more of a connection to you."
"That explains the dreams I've had."
"So it would seem," Dumbledore replied. "Harry has had more than his share of interesting dreams. Some might have even been visions."
Holly considered this, then asked cautiously, "How can you tell if something is inevitable?" Dumbledore tried to appear confused, but Holly saw right through it, and she continued, "I had a dream a few weeks ago, and it was more vivid than almost all the others. Someone died in it, and I think it was Harry."
Dumbledore exhaled deeply and his shoulders slumped. "Nothing is ever set in stone, Holly." His voice was tired. "The future is always in the hands of those who control the present."
There was more than one meaning to that response, Holly was sure of it. "What are you hiding from me?"
Dumbledore cracked a knowing smile. "We really can't keep a thing from you, can we?" Holly glared at him over the tops of her glasses and folded her arms. Dumbledore nodded and answered, "During the rise of Voldemort, a prediction was made. It most certainly appeared to have come to pass, with Harry. Now, it appears that part of the prediction may have been misinterpreted."
"Misinterpreted how?"
"Part of this prediction that was believed to refer solely to Harry may also refer to you."
If Holly was taken aback by this, she covered it well with irritation. Plopping her chin on the cupped palms of her hands, she mumbled to herself, "Ah. Yes. Wonderful. Very good. Just what I need. In twenty-four hours, not only do I find out I'm a witch, I'm also a target for evil wizards and I'm part of some insane prediction. Outstanding." She looked up at Dumbledore's amused expression. "Do you have this prediction written somewhere?"
"There is one written copy, but unfortunately, it is not in my possession at the moment, and no, I do not have it memorized." As though suddenly remembering something, he pulled out a gold pocket watch and studied it carefully. Holly cranned her neck and saw that, like everything else around there, the watch was not normal. She had just long enough to observe tiny planets moving around the face of the watch before Dumbledore flipped it closed again and said, "Right now, we are expecting a visitor at any moment."
Holly's face lit up. "Is it Harry? Arthur Weasley?"
"No, Holly, we can't do that quite yet, I'm afraid."
"But why . . ." Holly was interrupted when the fireplace blazed with green flames and a fairly average-looking man stepped through. He was wearing plain robes, and despite an apparent age of mid-thirties, his light brown hair was speckled with grey.
"Remus!" Dumbledore greeted him merrily. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. Right on time, too."
"Anything I can do to help, sir. Sirius was in a fit because I wouldn't let him come. Wants to know what's going on, and he's driving himself into a stir over Harry's last letter." He paused and turned, almost hesitantly, towards Holly and looked her over. "It's really true, then. How is this possible?"
"It's a very long story, Remus, but I assure you, it's quite possible. I will fill you in on the rest of the story soon, but for now, we much finish making arrangements."
Holly looked between the two wizards. "Arrangements for what?"
Dumbledore actually appeared slightly sheepish. "I should have told you before, but in light of our conversation earlier, and how late you slept, I ran out of time. Holly, meet Remus Lupin. He was previously a professor here, and has also been a long-time friend of your family."
Holly stood and shook Lupin's hand in greeting, saying, "Nice to meet you." She then turned back to Dumbledore. "What does this have to do with me?"
Lupin picked up on the cue. "Professor Dumbledore asked me if I would be willing to let you stay at my house and begin teaching you wizarding skills. There are some things which I should really leave to the other professors, but I can give you a head start before classes begin."
"Will I see Harry there?" Holly's mind was now stuck on one track. So many new faces all at once, and only one of them bore a resemblance to hers. That seemed to be the one face she was being prevented from seeing.
"I'm sorry, Holly," Dumbledore conceded. "Not this time."
"Why can't I see him?" Holly growled angrily. "I've had almost no family most of my life, here's a member of my family I've never met, I've heard all about him, but I don't get to meet him? What kind of joke is that?"
"It's not a joke. It's actually quite serious, and there are several reasons to keep you apart right now."
"Such as?" Holly folded her arms skeptically.
"Harry is one of the largest targets in the magical world. If word about you somehow got out, if anyone figured out who you were, and you happened to be in the same place as Harry, I do not think we would be able to protect you, outside of Hogwarts."
"What if I don't want to be protected?"
"Remember that you would also be putting Harry at the same risk."
Holly cringed, nodded, then asked, "What are the other reasons?"
Dumbledore was considering his answer when the fireplace flared up again and man with longish, slightly unkempt black hair tumbled into the room, stormed up to Lupin, and began to yell irritably.
"That's it, Moony! I've waited long enough. You said someone might be coming to the house, and it has to do with Harry, and I'm worried sick! What's going on?" He was nearly nose to nose with his friend. Lupin wrinkled his face in disgust and wiped a fleck of spit from his cheek. He leaned back slightly and jerked his thumb to the side, towards Holly. Sirius shot him a quick glare, then turned to see what Lupin was pointing at. He did a double-take.
"What in Merlin's name?" he stammered before rushing to Holly, eyes wide. "What's going on here? This isn't Harry, is it? They didn't curse him into being a woman, did they?"
Lupin moved to stop Sirius's outburst, but Holly had beaten him to it. She was on her feet, toe to toe with the frantic wizard, which was somewhat comical, as she was more than half a foot shorter than him. "Cursed? Excuse me? Whoa, buddy. My name is Holly, if you please. Now relax, take a deep breath, and back down. Sit. Stay. Good dog."
Sirius automatically backed down and sank into the nearest chair, his eyes threatening to jump out of their sockets. He turned to Dumbledore, who seemed to find the whole incident very amusing. Sirius's mouth barely moved as he said, "Tell me this is a joke. You've enchanted Harry, and it's just a new way to hide him, and he's going to come stay with us, although I must admit he makes a better boy."
Lupin had to grab Holly before she launched a full attack on Sirius. "Of all the nerve! What a thing to say! Who the hell is this guy?" Holly was livid, Remus was laughing hysterically, and Sirius began to look purely confused. "That's not Harry?"
Dumbledore finally intervened. "No Sirius, she is not Harry. She is, however, Harry's first cousin. She will need a place to stay for a time, and under the circumstances, I had asked Remus if he would be willing to take on another boarder."
"And you didn't bother to ask me, or even tell me? Why not?" Irritation was starting to show in Sirius's demeanor.
"Ah, Sirius, I had wanted to be sure Holly was open to the arrangement before making any final decisions, and then I would have informed you immediately. I wanted to give you a chance to adjust to the idea before meeting Holly to avoid subjecting her to your inevitable 'reaction'."
Sirius now looked absolutely embarrassed. He glanced at Holly sideways and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean . . . Hey! How did you know . . . why did you give me dog commands?"
Holly shrugged. "You listened, didn't you?"
Dumbledore laughed heartily, but now it was Lupin's turn to look confused. "Yes, why did you do that? Dumbledore, you didn't tell her, did you?"
"Tell me what?" Holly asked.
"No, I did not tell her," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, "but I would advise you to be completely honest with this woman. There's not a thing you can hide from her without her being aware of the deception."
"Tell me what?" Holly demanded, raising her voice. "I mean, he's not really a dog . . . but then . . ." Holly looked at him strangely. Sirius made a sound like a whimper in his throat. She finally smiled at him. "And who are you, now?"
Sirius lifted himself part way out of his chair and extended a hand. "Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. Nice to meet you."
She shook his outstretched hand. "Holly Potter. It's a pleasure, I think." She winked at him to let him know she was just teasing. The tension in the room diminished significantly.
Sirius took a deep breath and asked, "Professor Dumbledore, sir, how is this possible? How could we not have known?"
"That is the same long story I will be telling tonight, which is the other reason I needed to contact both of you. We will be holding a meeting tonight to discuss the next step in reestablishing the ministry, and we will also be sharing this development," he indicated Holly.
Lupin swallowed and sank into a chair. "So it really is true. The Ministry is gone," he said in a dry voice. "I didn't want to believe it."
"The Ministry building," Dumbledore said forcefully, his voice radiating strength, "is gone. Some lives were tragically lost. The heart and soul of the ministry is still quite viable. From the ashes of this tragedy, we will create a new order."
Holly watched this whole exchange carefully. She cleared her throat. They all looked at her. "So, if I'm going to be living a whole new life here, with these people, I'm going to have to do a few things first. I need to get some clothes from home eventually. I suppose I'd at least owe it to my father to say goodbye, although I don't much care either way. He comes home in the afternoon. Best bet is to catch him in the evening."
Lupin nodded. "We'll also need to get you a wand, I'm sure. Take a trip down to Olivander's. That means we'll have to disguise you somehow. We can't parade you around when, well, the resemblance is too obvious. The glasses will have to go."
"No way. I'm blind as a bat without them." She sighed. "I do have contact lenses at home though. I could wear them for a little while if I needed to."
"Contact lenses?" asked Sirius.
"Never mind that, Sirius," said Dumbledore, patting him on the shoulder. "Holly will be able to return home this evening to retrieve her belongings. We can then begin her training properly."
"And we'll return home for now," said Lupin as he stood and stretched. "We'll set up a room for Holly, and Sirius will attempt to make himself presentable for the meeting tonight, won'tcha boy?" Lupin patted Sirius on the head furiously.
Sirius swatted at him. "Stop that! I am perfectly presentable."
Lupin ducked out of arm-range of Sirius and shook his head.
"What then?" Sirius asked, very irritated.
Lupin pointed at Sirius's feet, and everyone in the room looked down at a very furry pair of pink bunny slippers. "Oh, those . . . well . . . My feet were cold!"
Everyone laughed, except for Sirius. Dumbledore began herding the two younger wizards towards the fireplace. "The meeting shall start at midnight. I will have contacted everyone else by then. Arabella is out of contact, but we should have two people returning from missions tonight. You take care of yourselves." Lupin thanked Dumbledore and stepped through the fireplace, but Sirius paused and looked back at Holly for a long moment, his emotions a mix of sadness and uncertainty.
She was not Harry. She looked to be a couple of years older, and her life had been different, but still, her resemblance to her cousin seemed to go beyond the physical appearance. Sirius found himself suddenly feeling protective of the young witch. Perhaps, where he'd been unable to protect Harry, he might be able to do something to help Holly. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, inclining her head towards him, and then he was gone.
Dumbledore turned to Holly. "I have some thing to which I must attend. If you wish, please feel free to explore the school and grounds. Just be aware that the third floor corridor on the left-hand side is prohibited, and I must tell you not to venture into the Dark Forest beyond the grounds. I will contact you when it is time to retrieve your things."
"Thank you, sir." She hesitated, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. She smiled. "Thanks for everything. I mean it. And Remus and Sirius seem very nice, although I think Sirius could use a sedative. He really takes his role as godfather seriously, doesn't he?"
"You don't have to be able to read minds to see that. He most certainly does."
"That would explain it. Now, the other thing. Why do I picture a large, black, shaggy dog whenever I look at him?"
*********************************************************
"Stop chittering like a rat, Wormtail, and get in here."
The door creaked open and Peter Pettigrew stepped into the room, his hands tucked behind his back. Voldemort was seated in his usual chair before the fireplace, drumming his fingers together lightly. "What are your findings?"
"My Lord, almost nothing remained. Arthur Weasley seems to be taking charge of their recovery effort."
"How interesting. Won't Malfoy be pleased. Now, there's something else, is there?"
Pettigrew's head bowed, and he fumbled with something behind his back. "As I was spying, I began scouring the wreckage. My right paw began tingling over one spot. I dug down, and I found this. It has some sort of spell or charm on it."
He held out the small crystal, which was still gleaming brightly. Voldemort plucked it out of his hand swiftly, making Pettigrew flinch, then looked over the shiny stone. He placed it on the table in front of him, then passed his wand over it like a dowsing rod. His eyes narrowed in a sinister smirk. "Very good, Wormtail. This stone has a protective charm placed on it, and it's linked to something. Bring this to McNair." He placed the crystal back in Pettigrew's hand. "Have him trace the charm. Discover what has been linked to it."
Pettigrew blurted quickly, "What shall we do when we trace the link?"
Voldemort narrowed his eyes. "Just when I began giving you some credit for not being a complete idiot. You will find the link, and then you may 'investigate' the location at sunset. No point in missing an opportunity, is there?"
"No, my Lord . . . I mean, yes my Lord . . . I mean," Pettigrew squeaked.
"Wormtail, leave before you begin to irritate me."
"Yes, my Lord!" Pettigrew fled the room.
**************************************************************
Supper at the Burrow that evening was more quiet than anyone could remember it. The day had been busy enough to keep everyone slightly distracted. Harry was almost grateful for the ache in his shoulders and back from the day's labours. He felt that if he were to be too comfortable, it would be wrong somehow. At least, the soreness gave him something to keep his mind occupied. Although the guilt over Cedric's death had been lessened, the memory brought another kind of pain now. People around him were disappearing.
He picked absentmindedly at his potatoes, letting his thoughts drift. This must have been what it felt like before Voldemort fell from power fourteen years ago. With that understanding, he could see why people refused to even speak Voldemort's name. He could also see why people regarded his own self so highly, although he still wished they wouldn't. He had no idea how he'd really stopped the Dark Lord in the first place, if it was even really his doing at all. It may possibly not have been him at all, he mused. He certainly had no idea how to stop Voldemort now. He was no hero, nobody's poster-child, not really. He just seemed to be the heir of a legacy out of his control and beyond his understanding. He just hoped he had the courage to live up to that legacy.
Ron elbowed him lightly, pulling him from his thoughts. The Weasley's were picking up their plates and leaving the table silently. Penelope Clearwater would be arriving shortly. Harry looked out the window and saw the sun beginning to brush the tops of the trees. He nodded grimly at Ron as he stood. This was not going to be an easy evening.
**************************************************************
"Dumbledore, sir?"
The Headmaster spun his chair around towards the fireplace. "Ah, Sirius. I was expecting you to contact me sometime this afternoon, although I must say I had thought you would not wait this long. Please, come right over."
Dumbledore reached onto his desk and closed the book he had been examining, folding several sheets of parchment between the pages. He tucked the book into a desk drawer as Sirius came through the fireplace. "Professor Dumbledore, I need to talk to you."
"I had assumed that much already, Sirius," Dumbledore laughed softly.
"Oh, yes, right." Sirius sat on the edge of nearest chair and hunched over, hands in his lap. "First, I wanted to say I was sorry for how I behaved. I was out of line, and if Holly is in any way still mad at me, I wanted to be able to apologize to her."
"I do not believe Holly is still mad at you, and she seems to be looking forward to staying at Remus's place. She's a very perceptive witch, and once you had calmed down, she could see that you were merely very protective of Harry."
Sirius nodded, running his fingers through the back of his hair, scratching thoughtfully. "That's another thing I was wondering. That was absolutely uncanny. Did she actually know I'm an Animagus?"
"Not precisely," said Dumbledore. "She does, however, have a somewhat rare magical trait that enables her to understand people's minds, to give a very crude description. It's an ability that hasn't been seen in Britain for a very long time. Holly does not truly understand this herself. She has also been separated from the magical community for most of her life, and has been thrown into this in a very harsh manner. It is a wonder she's adjusted as well as she has, but once the events of the past two days begin to sink in, she will probably need some support. I was hoping that you might be able to provide that."
Sirius had folded both of his hands behind his head. "Sometimes, sir, I think you can read minds, but that's part of what I had come to ask about. If I can't help out Harry directly right now, perhaps I can help Holly. They're so much alike; I can't help but feel protective."
"Be careful not to become to overtly protective, Sirius," Dumbledore admonished sternly. "She is not Harry, although many of their similarities are more than coincidence of their blood relation. I have some thoughts on that concept, but now is not the time for such things. She does need to be protected, as she could become a target at any time. Still, judging by what little I know of her, she would probably take great offense to someone being over-protective. She's an adult, and what she needs is a friend."
"I'm willing to try, sir, but I'm still wondering, why can't she at least meet Harry? Keeping them in the same place for a long period of time might be risky, but why not introduce them?"
The Headmaster sighed softly, then leaned forward on his desk. "I will give you the full details tonight, as much as I know, but for now, let me explain it this way. The night Lily and James died was also the night Holly's mother died, and the events are closely related. Holly wasn't there, physically, but she was able to witness it. Somehow, she and Harry formed a bond that night. She survived, Harry survived, and Voldemort survived. The fact that they have remained physically separated all these years has prevented that bond from manifesting itself fully."
Sirius wrinkled up one side of his face, not making sense of any of this. "Why would that be such a bad thing?"
"It is already quite obvious that Harry will be an extremely powerful wizard. He has demonstrated this strength in his encounters with Voldemort. He has inherited traits from his parents, but also from Voldemort through a magical bond. Holly is in a similar situation. It is likely that not only has she inherited her abilities in witchcraft and wizardry from her mother, she may also share traits with Harry through the bond I suspect they share. The problem lies in that she has not had four years of magical training, and that I do not yet know how profound this bond may be. Holly has only survived the last two days out of an unlikely combination of luck and cleverness. I suspect that if the bond between Holly and Harry strengthens itself fully, Voldemort may become aware of it. If they are not ready, I do not know how we could protect either of them."
Sirius sat quietly for a moment. He finally whispered softly, "Will this ever be over, Dumbledore? Will we ever be able to live normally, without worrying every minute of the day whether we'll loose somebody else close to us?"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "I hope so, Sirius. Someday, yes, I hope so. This evening, the Weasley's are holding a small, private memorial service for Percy. I will be attending if it is at all possible. None of us wish to see any more such services."
Siruis looked dumbfounded. "Percy?? I didn't know. My god, was it from the Ministry attack?"
Dumbledore closed his eyes for a brief moment and bowed his head slightly. "He was one of many. Too many." Dumbledore opened his eyes again and peered over the tops of his spectacles at Sirius. "For now, you can help Holly. Try to avoid the topic of why she can't see Harry, but tell her what she needs to know. Tonight, she needs to retrieve some things from her house. As much as she claims to hate her father, this may not be easy for her. If you wish . . ."
"I'd love to go with her," Sirius said quickly, a grin returning to his face. "What can make a person feel better than a lovable, shaggy dog?"
"Pink bunny slippers, perhaps?" Dumbledore said causally. The veins on Sirius's neck bulged slightly, but Dumbledore simply picked up a small candy dish and held it towards the flustered man. "Lemon drop?"
****************************************************************
Harry stood behind the small group of family and friends that had gathered behind the Weasley's garden. The sun had dipped behind the edge of the nearby hills, throwing a golden glow on the tops of the trees and the roof of the Burrow. It was a beautiful afternoon, but somehow, that wasn't much of a comfort. Penelope had arrived, and it was obvious that she had already cried herself nearly to the point of exhaustion. Every so often, another strangled sob escaped her. She stood near the front of the group, clinging to Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley was close behind his wife, with his hands on her shoulders. Ever so often, she would reach up and grab his hand, just to remind herself that he was still there. Bill and Charlie had charged themselves with taking care of Ginny. Ron stood just behind them, next to Hermione. Harry had chosen to stand by himself, behind all of them.
Fred and George and prepared quite a memorial for Percy; a statue of a lion to represent Percy as a Gryffindor. In front of it had been laid Percy's Head Boy badge, which Harry had found in the fire, and the old Prefect badge that had been left on the shelf at home. Penelope had left a bouquet of flowers, and Mrs. Weasley had placed his partially-completed Christmas sweater neatly folded with the "P" facing upwards, but nobody else quite seemed to know what to leave for him. A row of candles stood, unlit, behind the statue. The twins stood on either side of the statue and Fred began to speak.
"We considered carefully what we wanted to say . . "
". . . and how we wanted to say it . . ."
". . . and we decided that it would be an insult to Percy's memory if we did anything to let this tragedy hurt us as a family, or change the way we live."
Mrs. Weasley started to look at the boys suspiciously, but Mr. Weasley squeezed her shoulder, letting her know it was ok.
Fred continued. "Percy was headstrong and determined. He didn't let things get in the way between him and his duty. I remember the Halloween of my third year, when the troll got into the dungeons. Percy didn't even blink twice as he led the Gryffindors back to the common room. It was his duty to keep them safe, and even though we told him he was being far too uptight about it . . ."
". . . many times . . ."
". . . he was doing his job, and doing it well. Everyone returned safely to the common room . . ."
". . . except for Ron and company, who decided to take on the troll themselves . . ."
". . . but Percy stuck to his duty. He wouldn't want us to forget ours, especially now. He wouldn't want us to let You-Know-Who win by forgetting to keep living our lives. That's our duty to each other and to ourselves. Thank you, Percy."
Fred withdrew his wand and pointed it at the first candle. "Lumos Incendium." The candle burst to life.
George then took up the cue. "We'd like for everyone to say something about Percy, one of the ways he made our lives better, a story about him, or a prayer for him. When you're done, light the next candle, until everyone has said something, and all the candles are lit."
Mr. Weasley stepped forward, and began to speak, but Harry barely heard him. His eyes drifted over the landscape, and his mind drifted to an empty place where nothing seemed to follow him but a hollow pain. Every so often, he'd look back towards the row of candles and count the lit ones. Three, then five, then nine were lit. Harry watched as Ron walked over and lit the tenth candle. It took him a moment to notice that everyone seemed to be watching him, and he realized with a start that it was his turn to speak. He thought rapidly for a moment, then took a small step forward, but remained at the back of the circle.
"Someone very wise once told me that it does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live. I guess now is the time for us to face life, reality, and our responsibilities, but we can't let our dreams die either. Percy worked hard to make his dreams a reality, and we need to keep working hard so that the peace we seek will someday be more than a dream." At that point, the emotions he had held back finally rose to the surface, and his vision blurred through the moisture welling up in his eyes. He blinked a couple of times, then aimed his wand towards the 11th candle and whispered, "Lumos Incendium."
"Very well said, Harry," a tired voice from behind him said. Harry snapped around to see Dumbledore standing just behind him, as though he had been there for a long time. Dumbledore continued, "To dwell on dreams, to the exclusion of all else, is a danger we must avoid. Reality is a harsh place right now, and it is tempting to seek to retreat from it. Instead, we should use our hopes and dreams as a guide, to inspire us to work for the good of others. In this way, we become inspiration for others, like a candle in the dark. Lumos Incendium." The carefully aimed spell lit the 12th candle, and in the twilight, the line of flames cast dancing shadows across the faces of all assembled.
************************************************************
In the twilight, the flames cast dancing shadows across Holly's face as she fought, tooth and nail, to reach what was left of her house. She knew it was futile, and she was secretly grateful that Sirius was there to hold her back. Tucked into the woods in which Holly had once played as a child, they had arrived in time to see a group of darkly robed figures Disapparate from around the far side of the house, just as the flames had begun to engulf the roof. Sirius had reacted immediately, throwing them both to the ground and out of sight, but no more Death Eaters remained. Now, he knelt beside her, staring back and forth between the house and Holly, not sure what to say, or even if there was anything he could say.
Holly grabbed a handful of last autumn's leaves from the ground and wrenched them to shreds in her fists. Sirius made a move to put his hand on her shoulder, but she batted him away. She stared at the fire in total disbelief, her eyes starting to sting, and her throat becoming tight. She cried out in anguish. "No! Gods, no! How could they . . . how did they find me? The house, my father . . . I never wanted . . ."
Sirius felt like a failure. He had just committed himself to helping someone he considered to be a new member of the family, and there he was, powerless to help as she lost her home and her last parent. Vicious memories of what had happened fourteen years ago played themselves through his mind, as fresh as if it had happened yesterday, and once again, he was powerless do anything.
He looked down again as Holly took a sharp breath, and she spoke through choked tears. "We didn't part on good terms. I had left for a hiking trip, and he didn't want me to go. He never wanted me to go anywhere, and I hated him for that. I still didn't want this to happen. Not this, not now . . ." Her voice faded off, and she began shredding another handful of leaves.
"Maybe your father wasn't home. We don't know yet."
She shook her head and pointed at the driveway. "His car is here. He was home."
Sirius stared at her bleakly, searching for something to say. "I'm sorry."
Holly turned and glared at him, her eyes flashing furiously. She spoke in a voice between a growl and a pained cry. "Don't ever give me an apology. I don't want it, I don't need it."
Sirius flinched. He shouldn't have said that. He waited another moment, then tried a new approach, "Holly, maybe we should get out of here. They could come back."
Her eyes seeming to drill right to the back of his skull. "I'm not leaving, not yet. There has to be something, anything." She jumped up and began running towards the house.
"Holly, there's nothing you can do! It's gone!" He caught up with her quickly with his longer legs, grabbed her by the arm and spun her around just before she reached the edge of the yard. "What are you trying to do? We'll send people tomorrow to search, but it's gone. You can't save it, you can't stop it."
"I don't know what I'm trying to do. You tell me!" Somewhere through her rage and sorrow, a trace of fear cracked through the surface. "I barely knew my mum. My dad just died. The home I grew up in is in flames, and I'm leaving behind everything I've ever known. You tell me what I'm trying to do, because I don't know anymore." She collapsed to her knees on the ground and leaned against one of the trees at the edge of the yard she used to climb to escape her father. She brushed her hand back and forth through the leaves and cried silently.
Sirius hunched down with his back to the house, his shape nothing more than a silhouette to Holly. "I don't know what to tell you, because I don't know what to do anymore either. I'm sorry you ever had to be part of this. You didn't deserve to have your life uprooted. Harry's life was uprooted when he was a year old, and I couldn't do a thing to help him either. I wish there was something I could do." He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn't push him away.
"Just help me to understand all of this, I guess." Her voice was thin and strained. "I'm used to being on my own, but for once, I think I need someone to talk to."
Sirius nodded, then jumped up with a start. "Holly! Don't move! There's a snake!"
"What? Oy! Seymore!" she exclaimed and reached down to pick up the small serpent, who immediately wrapped itself around her hand, looking quite at home.
Sirius stared at Holly. He began to suspect that there was never a dull moment with this girl. "You know this snake, like a pet?" he asked in disbelief.
"Well, she's more of a friend than a pet. Great company, trust me." She rubbed Seymore's head slowly, and the snake rested her head on the back of Holly's hand drowsily, flicking her tongue out periodically. "Want to pet her?" Holly held out her hand with the sleeping snake.
"Uh, thanks, but no," Sirius said warily.
"Ok, but I'm taking her back with me." Holly's voice became tense again. "I need something from home."
Sirius nodded his understanding, although it was clear he wasn't too fond of having a snake for a houseguest. He made a move to get up, but Holly caught the corner of his sleeve. "Sirius, what day is today?"
"August 1st, why?"
"With everything that was happening, I just lost track of time and forgot." She stared off blankly, and Sirius could see the moisture building at the corner of her eye.
"What's important about August 1st?"
She broke a short sob. "Today was my birthday. Some birthday."
Holly turned her face back towards the house in anguish. She could see lights from fire-trucks and police cars at the far end of the road, moving towards the house. She looked around the yard one last time, set her jaw firmly, and turned back to Sirius. "We should go now."
He helped her to her feet, and they walked back into the woods where the Portkey was waiting for them.
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A/N: If you've had the pleasure of reading this far, I really do appreciate reviews. It lets me know if people have been reading, and helps me to evaluate the story for re-working.
I've been overwhelmed with schoolwork lately (university life, what can I say?) but I promise I have not given up on the story. Chapter 10 is in the works, and we'll find our characters at Hogwarts soon enough! If you have questions about the story, leave an e-mail address with the review, and I'll reply immediately, OR send me an instant message on AIM at pitcha126 (preferable) or on Yahoo at chelle126. I'd say to send me an owl, but I know most muggles find that difficult. ;)
Enjoy!
Phoenix
