Disclaimer: Witty comment stating that all belongs to Rowling…here.
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione's seventh year at Hogwarts: Romance! Intrigue! And, oh yeah, Voldemort!
A/N: This is my first Potter fic, so I'd appreciate any suggestions and reviews (and if there are any British readers out there, let me know if my Americanism is too glaring!). Thanks!
Chapter One: The Warning
#12, Grimmauld Place
1:00 PM
Harry sighed as he pushed his lunch away from him. He hadn't had much of an appetite lately; he was too worried about his N.E.W.T.S., life after Hogwarts, and of course, Voldemort. Even with Mrs. Weasley's cooking instead of Aunt Petunia's, he couldn't bring himself to eat. Harry cupped his chin in his hands and stared at the clocks on the wall opposite. Mrs. Weasley had moved the family clock there, seeing as how the Weasley's barely spent any time at the Burrow anymore. In her motherly way, she had another clock made for all members of the Order—with symbols rather than names in case the wrong eyes should see it. There was a crown for Kingsley, a pig's snout for Tonks, and a big silver circle for Lupin. The largest hand of all—pointing at "Still Asleep" as its owner had been on duty all night—said Mad-Eye in capital letters. There was really no need to keep his Auror identity secret.
Five of the Weasley clock hands suddenly moved to join his pointing at "kitchen." Last year, Mr. Weasley had added two small arrows for Harry and Hermione. "After all, dears," Mrs. Weasley had said, "you ARE family." Harry roused himself enough to say good morning as Fred, George, and Ginny came crashing through the door, already bickering. They were trailed by Harry's two best friends, Ron and Hermione.
"All right, Harry?" They called as Mrs. Weasley handed them their lunch plates.
"Hurry up, children! You have to leave soon. Goodness, the Express leaves tomorrow. What was I thinking leaving Diagon Alley so late?" Mrs. Weasley began mumbling to herself as she bustled around the kitchen. "Oh! I found your school list, Harry. You left it in the living room."
Harry took the list and reread it. Only two new books this year—Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7 and Ridiculously Advanced Potions Brewing (If only, Harry thought, he could become an Auror without suffering another year of Snape's torture). There was no new book for Defense against the Dark Arts that year, and as far as Harry knew, no new professor. The previous year's teacher, Professor Vladimir, had disappeared over summer holiday while conducting research in Transylvania. Perhaps, Ron had suggested, the position really was cursed.
After lunch, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny gathered their cloaks and prepared to meet Mr. Weasley by the fire. They would be traveling to Diagon Alley by Floo Powder. Lupin was already in the living room, reading the afternoon's edition of the Daily Prophet.
"Professor Lupin," Hermione asked. "Would you like to come with us?"
"Oh, no, thank you Hermione. I'm feeling a little under the weather—tonight is the full moon after all, and I expect you won't be back until dark. Have a wonderful time, though."
With that, Professor Lupin took a sip from his steaming mug. It was, Harry realized, not tea but the Wolfsbane Potion Lupin was required to drink every month. Harry wondered if Snape had brewed and delivered it and if he was still at Grimmauld Place. Harry cringed at the sound of footsteps in the hall, unwilling to face the Potions Master. Thankfully, it was only Mr. Weasley who entered; he put on his cloak and told Ron to enter the Network first.
"Goodbye Remus!" Harry called as he took his turn. "See you later!" As Harry began to spin faster and faster, he could barely see his old professor waving to him.
~~
While purchasing their school supplies, the group had split up early, agreeing to meet in two hours for ice cream sundaes at Florean Fortescue's. Ron and Harry entered Flourish & Blotts; they had lost the girls at Madame Malkin's where they had been giggling over the new low-cut dress robes. ("It's just fun to try then on, you know!" Ginny had said. "Madame Malkin doesn't mind" called Hermione's voice from the changing room.)
Harry and Ron bought their new books, then left for Fortescue's, thankful that another year's shopping was finished.
"Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is." Ron was complaining. "They're robes. How daring. How sexy. Besides Ginny could never afford the newest fashions. And I wouldn't LET her wear low-cut clothing anyway."
Harry snuck a sideways glance at Ron. His ears were pink, but Harry thought that his anger probably had less to do with his not-so-little sister and more to do with the 7th year Hufflepuff admiring Hermione as she modeled the new robes.
The others were already sitting when Ron and Harry arrived. After they placed their orders, Mr. Weasley looked around to make sure no one was nearby. He leaned in.
"Children, Molly doesn't know this, but I'm giving you the latest information from the Order. I know how you all like to get mixed up in things and I just want you to be informed. You have to be careful. The wizarding world is in chaos. There's no control at Azkaban and ministry employees go missing every day. Dumbledore swears they're joining the Death Eater ranks, though I don't know how he knows that. We're losing strength and time, while the enemy is growing stronger. You're still safe at Hogwarts though, so please—PLEASE—don't leave without a member of the Order."
The four students promised Mr. Weasley. They had known the Second War was not going well, but Harry hadn't known that the Ministry was in such shambles. Without structure—without any leadership—how would the Wizarding community remain calm?
