Harry Potter and the Mirror of Nostradamus
A/N: Hey people...seven's here and it didn't take too long I think. Hope you enjoy…personally I didn't like this one much…it could've been better but Ch. 8 will be out really soon I think so- stay tuned!
Thanks to:
Jerseygirl03 - Like I said in the beginning of the fic, Sirius isn't going to come back but Harry will keep on talking him using the map throughout the year. : - ) There's more Lupin in this chappie btw.
MorphManiac- Thanks a lot! It's good to hear from you again
Lady A- Here you are, hope I ended your misery ; )
Athenia McGonagall- Thank youuuuu
Azntgr01- No problem, hope u like this one 2
ginnyNharrysecretlove – Thankssssssssssss
Meinien- They'll get to Hogwarts next chap but the point is what'll happen on the way? *grins evilly*
PhoenixPadfoot89- LoL : ) You'll find out about Voldy soon enough…btw your work is reallyy good I think I've reviewed a fic of yours about Dumbledore's letter to Harry
Coolerimmortal- Let me give u a hint…Malfoy was giving Voldy something really important… : )
Silvermoon12- My school doesn't start till the end of September *grins* I'm glad you liked the memories…Draco isn't exactly a Death Eater yet he's just helping out cos Daddy's in Azkaban…anyway u owe me a review don't forget !
NightSpear- Thanks! And don't worry there's no cliffie in this one (for once)
Chapter 7: Started All Over Again
A pair of hands was shaking his shoulders roughly and Harry's eyes snapped open. The world swam dizzily in his vision before he was able to focus properly on his surroundings; to his relief, he was back in the living room of Grimmauld place, lying on his stomach on the dusty floor. He turned and adjusted his body gingerly- for he was aching now from the two falls- and looked up at Snape's bemused face.
"Can you get up, Potter?" said Snape. Harry couldn't fathom the tone in his voice or the expression on his face. He didn't look angry, at least.
"Yeah…" Harry groaned a bit a he pulled himself to his feet. "What was that all about?" he muttered, more to himself than the older wizard.
Snape snorted. "You were the one there, Potter." His cold eyes narrowed. "You haven't been having these…dreams all summer have you?"
"No," said Harry hastily. "No…it's the first time. Did you see -?" he asked cautiously. Snape would know, wouldn't he? He would know exactly what they were doing, because he was a spy.
"Yes." His tone was cool. Harry hesitated. It was summer, Snape couldn't take points off or give out detentions; if Harry asked, the most he could do was yell at him.
"Do you know what that thing-?" he began and Snape cut him off. "Even if I did, Potter, I would have no reason to tell you." But his expression was thoughtful and Harry saw that he was just as intrigued about it as Harry was.
Whatever Draco Malfoy had given Voldemort was vitally important, Harry knew. He remembered the conversation between Malfoy and Lestrange at Azkaban that Tonks had told him and McGonagall about- maybe this was related in some way…Surely though, surely Voldemort hadn't somehow gotten his hands on the Prophecy…if he had then the advantage Harry had over him was gone…he was so distracted in his thoughts that he didn't notice Snape was speaking to him.
"Potter!" he snapped. "I'm sorry Professor, what did you say?" Harry said in what he hoped was a civil enough tone.
"I said, we've had enough for today. The next time something like this happens I expect you to block it, do you understand?" Harry nodded, barely listening. "The next time I see you will be at Hogwarts. I am sure we can both wait until then," he sneered.
"Yeah…I don't think that will be a problem, professor." They glared at each other for two whole minutes, and then Harry turned on his heel and went back upstairs, no doubt to tell Ron and Hermione about the vision. And Ginny too.
Ginny, yes…suddenly he felt an overwhelming urge to talk to the flame-haired girl. Ron and Hermione's reactions were so often predictable and it would be nice to see what she thought about this- she always seemed to surprise him somehow.
He realized he had a goofy grin on his face and stopped in his tracks on his way to his and Ron's room. Why the hell was I smiling when I was thinking of her?
He shook his head, annoyed. Here he was, having more than a million things on his mind to worry about and he was thinking about some girl whom he didn't even fancy- although he did appreciate her friendship…
When Harry entered the room it was to find the three of them inside, poring over a letter. Harry noted that Ginny looked especially happy. Her face was shining somehow and her deep brown eyes were dancing. He hadn't seen that kind of look on anyone's face for a long time and because of that it made her look different- pretty, even.
"Hey mate," Ron said, looking up. "Well you seem okay to me- although if he did something to you maybe he hid it…what do you think, Hermy?"
"Of course Snape hasn't cursed him," Hermione's voice snapped beneath a mass of bushy brown hair. She was still reading the letter intently.
Harry rolled his eyes and sat next to Ginny on Ron's bed, (there was no other option other than the floor or either of his best friends' laps) unable to stop himself from giving her a small smile. She grinned and Harry noticed suddenly she had a letter of her own clutched in her hand, other than the one currently with Hermione.
"What are you guys up to?"
Hermione looked up finally, folding the letter neatly and handing it to Ron. "Fred's and George's NEWT results. Remember, they took them a couple of days ago at the examinations authority center?"
"And?" Harry prodded, interested.
"Pretty good considering they barely touched a book," It was Ginny who answered "Managed to scrape a few NEWTs each, but that's not the best part. They can have an official license for their joke shop now, plus they said Dumbledore hinted their work could really be useful to the Order- how I don't know- he was joking, sort of, but they could tell he was half serious."
"Yep, and they're immensely proud of themselves," Ron contributed. "They got the letter just now while they were at the shop and sent it to us. Ginny got a letter too though, I think. Gin, is it from them too?"
His sister's face grew gradually into a vibrant shade of magenta and Harry had a feeling this had nothing to do with the twins.
"Ginny?" Ron demanded.
"Not that it's any of your business Ronnie, but oh- well, remember when you told me to choose someone good or something like that and I told you I'd chosen Dean?" she cleared her throat. To Harry it seemed she wasn't exactly nervous but more embarrassed. A bit happy even, like she was so giddy she wanted to share the news.
Ron narrowed his eyes. Hermione, unsurprisingly, looked unperturbed. "Yeah?" Ron growled.
"Don't use that tone, Ron. Anyway, well, you see- I told you that I'd chosen him, not that he'd chosen me, right, so I didn't get the guts to say anything until a few days ago when I wrote him a letter I…sort of told him I would really like to be with him so…Nowhesaskedmeout," she finished hastily. "And I'm going to say yes."
"Gimme that," Ron leaned forward to grab the letter from Ginny's hands but she shrieked and held it out of his reach. Ron earned himself an It's A Private Girl Thing You Prat glare from Hermione. Harry on the other hand, much to his annoyance and discomfort, was experiencing something plummeting inside his stomach.
"Why'd you have to go and throw yourself at him like that?" Ron cried incredulously. "I mean if he asked you out by himself that's one thing-"
"Oh, for goodness sake Ron," Hermione snapped while Crookshanks hissed menacingly. "There's nothing wrong with the girl expressing her feelings."
Ron snorted. "Can you believe them?!" he said to Harry, who, though normally considered Ron having no expertise whatsoever in the love department, found he was with him on this one.
"No, you're right. I mean honestly, sending him a letter about your feelings like that," Harry replied bitterly, the words were out before he could stop them. Ron nodded enthusiastically while Hermione and Ginny stared at Harry. Ginny looked hurt and Harry couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes.
"I didn't think you were like that!" Hermione declared accusingly. "I thought you were more mature than Ron!" Ron winced.
Ginny was still looking at him like he'd betrayed her after that week of close friendship. "Yeah…I thought you were different," she shook her head and Harry didn't say anything. He couldn't take it back, because he'd meant it. Dean hadn't said he'd liked her, so why go and push herself on him? When another guy might actually truly like her…
Like you? A nagging voice said in his head and he pushed it away angrily.
"I'm going to give Fred and George's letter to mom," Ginny said coolly, getting up. "Coming, Hermione?"
"I'll be right there," said Hermione who was watching Harry, a calculating gleam in her eye that he didn't like. Ron got up after Ginny. "I'm gonna have a shower," he tossed a glare in Hermione's direction and slammed the door behind him as he left the room.
"What?" snapped Harry when Hermione continued to look at him. What was up with them anyway? There were truly dangerous things happening in the world that were much more important than their intolerable bickering. Harry didn't tell her, but he thought Hermione ought to listen to her own advice about listening to Dumbledore's 'strong as we are united' speech.
"I just figured out something." There was a definite edge of coolness in Hermione's tone.
"What's that?" Harry said irritably.
"Did you ever hear that people want what they can't have?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" His voice rose.
"Just that you're more selfish than I'd thought."
The last remaining days of the summer were subdued, as was the last day before September the 1st arrived. While Harry had been living in a sort of denial for the past two months, the reality of their- no, his situation was just starting to hit him, and he was nothing short of terrified about the upcoming year. Not for him, no; he was beyond caring what happened to him. But for his friends and the rest of the wizarding world- he couldn't stand the thought of more people being harmed because of himself- which they would, unless he succeeded in killing Voldemort, and Harry found that highly unlikely.
It didn't help that things weren't going that great among him and his friends. If Ron and Hermione weren't fighting, or Hermione wasn't shooting him strange looks every now and then, there was definitely a sort of tension that hung over them when they were together, which was both the combination of fear for the upcoming war and personal bitterness towards each other. Harry still got a pained feeling every time he thought about Dean's letter to Ginny, and this bothered him to no end.
None of the others seemed to notice anything strange about how the four of them were acting; possibly because the whole atmosphere at Grimmauld place was anxious and they blended right in. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both constantly looked strained to the point of breaking down, as did Lupin, and Fred and George were away at work most of the time so there was no one to cheer any of them up.
The meetings of the Order were growing more frequent as well- Harry didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one. It seemed Snape had told the members about Harry's vision because by the way they were acting they were all apprehensive about what Voldemort had up his sleeve for this year.
"But Snape's a spy," Ron frowned as he tossed his books carelessly in his trunk on the evening before September the first. He and Harry were packing, and the topic of Harry's last vision had come up again.
"How come he doesn't know what that thing is that Malfoy gave Voldemort? I mean, I reckon that's how they knew last year that Voldemort wanted the Prophecy right? Snape told them." Ron picked up his broomstick and caressing it fondly, placed it gently in the trunk.
"I guess," Harry shrugged, banishing his robes into his own trunk with his wand. "Maybe Voldemort didn't tell Snape this year…maybe he doesn't trust him anymore, I dunno."
"Maybe Snape just didn't tell us," Ron said darkly.
"Dumbledore-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Dumbledore trusts him." Ron rolled his eyes. "C'mon, let's go down to the kitchen. I'm starving."
Hermione and Ginny were already there, sitting at the table and watching TV which Harry knew Dumbledore had recently managed to install ingeniously, by some conversion of magical energy or something like that. There was an action flick on, and Ginny was looking fascinated.
Ron stepped forward, frowning and peering at the screen where a masked man was swearing the place down and holding up a revolver at another man. He touched the screen just as the actor fired the gun with a blast and Ron jumped back with a yelp. Ginny looked alarmed, while Harry and Hermione exchanged small grins.
"What," said Ron, "the hell- was that?!"
"It's called a gun," Harry said, biting his lip. "A Muggle weapon…it blasts fire and stuff. Like- the Muggle version of a wand."
"It certainly looks more dangerous," Ron edged away from the TV, still eyeing the screen apprehensively.
"It won't hurt you. It's just a screen. Besides, they're acting…for entertainment," Hermione supplied.
"Weird people," Ron muttered. The man was now sexually seducing a girl and Ron looked away uncomfortably, as did Ginny. (Harry was used to this from Dudley's movies) "So, umm, this gun thingy," said Ron. "Why can't we use it to fight Death Eaters and stuff?"
"You know, I never thought of that," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"I doubt," Harry snorted, "that a gun will have much effect on Voldemort." (Ron and Ginny winced)
"You guys?" Ginny was blushing madly. "I think mum wouldn't want us watching this stuff…" The scene had just gotten worse.
Ron snickered. "Can't handle a-"
But he was cut off as the movie scene disappeared and there were some sort of flashes on the screen and the network's background music for a newsbreak. The screen now showed a Muggle woman with a tightly pulled back blond bun and oval glasses, dressed in a navy blue suit.
"Good evening, it's Marlene Circe reporting to you from SLT…we interrupt you for an important newsbreak…" She spoke in formal, clipped, tones. "This afternoon a total of fifteen children have been reported missing from all over London and bordering towns. They range from the age of five to fourteen… Annie and Penny Roberts' parents returned home to find them gone while others such as in the cases of Melissa Jones, disappeared while out with family and friends…"
Harry stared in shock, his eyes transfixed to the screen. "Mum! DAD! FRED! GEORGE!" Ron yelled as loudly he could.
"Charlie ! BILL! On the news now!"
Ginny's panicked voice rivaled even her brother's.
"The names of the fifteen girls are…" And the news reporter proceeded to give a list of names along with the place where each of them lived. Harry could hear Hermione give a small gasp from beside him.
"MUM! HEY, everyone!!" Ron was yelling again and there was a thundering of footsteps as six Weasleys, Professor Lupin and Moody came bursting into the kitchen. Moody's wand was out. "Death Eaters?" His magical eye spun madly around the kitchen.
"No, listen!" Harry said urgently. It couldn't be…please, no. Please let this be something else…
The new arrivals stared at each other in confusion as the reporter continued to name the missing girls and rattled on some more about the circumstances of their disappearance.
"…however, in the case of five others, distressed parents admit to have seen men with hoods and long black clothes grab their little girls under their very noses while for some mysterious reason none seemed able to stop them…the men seemed to have no interest whatsoever in the girls' brothers…" Harry felt his stomach grow sick.
"Oh my," said Molly Weasley, holding on to her husband's shoulder for support.
"…some parents were found unconscious…suspected terrorist activities…" the words floated in and out of Harry's brain, his heart racing fast.
"Terrorist activities my foot," Moody growled.
"You don't think- ?" said George nervously, looking around at everyone.
"Hang on a sec," Lupin held up a hand, frowning as he listened. "… but some of the parents claim they don't remember what happened, just that someone was trying to take away their kid before they blacked out…we will be back on more information on the disappearances on the evening news…stay tuned…"
"There you have it," Charlie said grimly. "Obliviated."
A heavy silence followed this as they all looked at each other, reality sinking in. Then Moody snapped out of his trance.
"I'm contacting Dumbledore. Arthur, s'pose you go to the Ministry and see if they've heard? The Daily Prophet won't be out till morning…"
"Ministry, right…" Mr. Weasley clasped his hands together as though trying to get a hold of himself. "You kids take care right?" He gave his shaky wife a brief hug.
"We'll be fine, dad." Bill placed a reassuring arm on his father's shoulder. The red-haired man smiled weakly and with two identical pops he and Moody Apparated.
"Reckon they were all Muggles?" Harry said quietly. Of course they were. Voldemort was too cowardly, or perhaps too smart to go for Wizarding families who had wands and thanks to Harry and Dumbledore were at least somewhat prepared for an attack. He would wait at least until he had gathered more power.
Hermione gave a small sniff. Harry looked at her, noticing how quiet she had been during all of this.
"You okay?" said Ginny, gently disentangling herself from her mother's embrace.
Hermione nodded, looking embarrassed. "I- nothing, it's just- I know that one of them is a Muggle for sure, Harry. Rebecca Roum…she was with me in primary school before I went to Hogwarts…"
"I'm sorry," Harry said. Something alive- he didn't know what- had just stirred painfully inside him.
Hermione swiped away a tear, smiling a little bit and shrugging. "I didn't know her that well; I just remembered her name is all."
Harry felt someone's hand on his shoulder and he looked up at Professor Lupin's weary brown eyes. Their gazes locked and both conveyed the same message. It had started all over again.
It was a depressing night, and it came as no surprise to Harry that he was in no mood to fall asleep. Knowing that if he tried he would end up tossing and turning, he left Ron in the room doing some last minute homework, telling him he was going for another 'walk', and went to the room where he'd been meeting with Ginny. He hoped against hope that she would be there tonight as he hurried down the old corridor towards the two doors and the staircase. He could definitely use somebody to talk to.
He opened the door and peered inside. She wasn't there.
There was no point in staying then- he would have liked to talk to Padfoot but he'd left the map back in his room…He left, fighting waves of disappointment, and went back to the room feeling – if possible – even more disheartened.
Harry managed a couple of hours of sleep the whole night and got up very early. The sky was gray and dreary, barely even visible through huge puffs of white clouds. A storm was coming, and it did nothing to lighten his mood. He dressed quietly, watching Ron sleeping with his mouth open and his covers kicked completely on the floor, wishing for a moment he could be just like Ron, with no Mission To Save The World to worry about.
He levitated his trunk and Hedwig's empty cage downstairs, while the owl zipped round and round his head cheerfully. He set about making breakfast in the kitchen, figuring it was the least he could do for the Weasleys as he fried eggs over the fire and put out butter, toast and pumpkin juice.
"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed a tired-looking Mrs. Weasley when she entered the room and saw him setting plates and forks. "You are too considerate, my dear," She enveloped him in a fierce hug and Harry smiled embarrassedly.
"It's just breakfast, least I could do," he mumbled. She shooed him away while she continued setting the table, sniffing loudly.
The others started filing in, yawning and groaning as they took their seats. There was a definite uneasiness in the air as they ate, silence prevailing over the group. "Harry made breakfast you know," Mrs. Weasley said brightly in an attempt at cheerful conversation.
"Did he now?" Mr. Weasley grinned, following his wife's lead. "I was wondering why the eggs tasted so good…" which earned him a good-natured swat on the head. Ginny and Hermione raised their eyebrows and Harry attempted a feeble smile.
"Come on, you people," Fred said with his mouth full. "You're going to Hogwarts, you're supposed to be happy…" he sighed dramatically. "Oh, remember the good old days, George?"
"Yes, my dear twin…oh, the pranks, the Gryffindor team, the girls…and…"
"More pranks," supplied Ron.
"How are we getting to King's Cross this time?" Ginny asked and Harry's eyes flickered over to her involuntarily. She looked especially pretty today, with her wavy hair pulled up in a high ponytail and long silver earrings dangling from her ears. Harry met her eyes and looked away. This wouldn't do at all.
"Ministry cars," said Mr. Weasley. "Apparently we're considered worthy people again." No one missed the sarcastic tone in his voice. "Moody should be here any minute…don't know what's keeping him."
As if on que, the door burst open to reveal the white-haired ex- Auror, carrying a wrinkly Daily Prophet which he slammed down on the table in way of greeting. "Read," he snarled at no one in particular. Mr.Weasley picked up the copy curiously and flipped through it. "There's nothing there," he told Moody blankly.
"Exactly!" he thumped a large fist unto the table and yelled so suddenly that everyone jumped and Hedwig started flying around more madly than before.
"Nothing in there, nothing at all about the disappearance of fifteen girls! Just because they're Muggles…" he sounded disgusted.
"I know," Ron's father nodded. "Kingsley told me yesterday; it was definitely Death Eaters, but Fudge wanted to keep it quiet- said there was no need scaring people for nothing." There was barely restrained anger in his tone.
It was on this added piece of bad news that the four students prepared to leave. Everyone ended up accompanying them to the station, where they met up with Lupin and Tonks after a fairly uneventful ride in the Ministry cars.
They all went through the barrier to get to platform 9 and ¾ where Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny said their not-so-dry goodbyes to everyone. It was only a full half hour later when Mr. Weasley said he was extremely late for work that his wife finally gave them each a last hug and kiss, rattling off safety precautions for the final time. Harry could not help but remember her Boggart last year and knew exactly how she was feeling.
The huge crimson train was letting out smoke and getting ready to move, and Harry tugged at Lupin's sleeve just as he and his friends were about to climb inside. He could hear several shouts and panicked-sounding goodbyes in the distance and could vaguely make out Narcissa Malfoy clutching her son's arm not far away from them.
"Do you want it?" Harry said in a low voice, his hand going inside his pocket while he prayed Lupin would say no.
"The map?"
"Yes."
He did not reply, and instead looked nervously at the Hogwarts Express. "You should get going, Harry."
"Professor, do you want it?" Harry repeated. "It's yours, rightfully. And I'll be with friends at school, but if you need someone to talk…" He couldn't believe he was doing this.
"Thank you, Harry. I really appreciate the gesture," and he sounded like he truly did. "But it'll just bring too many memories…tell him I said hi, will you?" his voice was threatening to break in the end.
"I will," Harry looked away. "So…bye, then."
"Take care, " He could hear Lupin's reply as he climbed inside the train after Ron, just in time, for two minutes later it was speeding off, the figures of the Weasleys and the others becoming smaller and smaller until they were nothing but specks in the distance.
