One Tin Soldier
Chapter Eight: Melody Box
Disclaimer: I woke up one day and wasn't J.K. Rowling. I was sad, so I decided to write Fanfiction, and this is what you get!
A/N: If you want to find the song played in the music box, it is called Deja Blue, and it is on Kazaa lite. I highly recommend it!! It is derived from a song called: "Yakusoku wa Iranai; I Don't Need Promises", another one I recommend.
~~~~~
When Harry dragged in Hermione, who was somewhat awake at this point, it took him a good ten minuets to explain to a rather panicked Mrs. Weasley that they were both alright. Hermione looked completely saturated, but otherwise fine. Harry was, in fact, the one who looked ruffled, probably because of his dip in the flood. He looked evenly at the flaming woman before him, staring. She was, after all, a rather frightening person. Her husband looked apologetically at Harry from a distance while the boy smiled weakly.
Lupin came forward quietly with two towels, ushering the children away from Molly and towards the fire. There were two mugs of hot chocolate steaming before them, and soon enough the other children crept quietly down the stairs and began asking questions with rapt attention. Harry was shocked how quickly he was forgiven, but Ron only winked at him when he asked, after his mother was out of hearing range.
"Well you know Harry, we've all had a bit of a scuff with her on one matter or another, and this just proves you're one of the family. And admittedly, I'm a bit glad you spoke up. She's been too protective of you and it wears on a guy."
Fred nodded gravely. "Mum is a love, really, but she tries to protect all of us too much, and there comes a time when a guy- and a girl, sorry Gin- just has to stand up and tell her to face facts. If she tries to protect you too much-"
"-she'll only get hurt." George finished, smiling.
"Look Harry, the point is, even though you were rude, you did the right thing." Ginny finished the sentiments of her brothers, which were affirmed by a swift nod from even the oldest.
Charlie smiled at him. "Besides, mum'll forgive you, you were damn scared to death, and I'd be too in your place."
Bill bowed his head. "Yeah Harry, you looked positively shaken, white as a ghost. What brought it on?"
Harry sighed a bit, rubbing his eyes. He was beginning to get tired, and smiled wearily at the others. "I'll tell you in the morning, right?"
A bit disappointed, though obviously understanding, the crowd around him parted and Harry trudged up the stairs and towards the room he shared with Ron. He paused, though, outside of Hermione's room, peering through the slightly open door.
He had barely even noticed she had left downstairs, and worried vaguely that she was upstairs crying, perhaps.
He heard the sound of something being wound, and then the delicate chords of a music box echoed into the empty hallway. He placed his eye to the slit and looked in.
Hermione sat on her bed, looking curiously at the box, squeezing water from her hair into a bucket on the floor, talking to nothing quietly. He began to hear quiet words from between the crack, and suddenly realized she was talking to her parents, at least it seemed she was. He peered for a time into the room, looking at the box.
On the side the words 'Little Feather' were engraved. Hermione smiled faintly, and yawned, turning out the light.
Harry slipped the door shut silently and padded to his bed.
~~~~~
The next morning a rowdey company sat at the table, grinning widely. Harry was silent, oddly, and looked at his bacon and eggs as if they might grow legs. He had been thinking on the voice her heard the night before and was truly concerned by morning time.
At first he could have sworn it had been Dumbledore, but this idea had been quashed quickly by the realization that the Headmaster had been at a board meeting with the Ministry of Magick at that time last night, and he would hardly bother to test Harry in the middle of a dissertation about the threat Voldemort presented. His brow furrowed as he chewed, thinking.
No matter how he turned it over in his mind, Harry was convinced the dark lord had attempted to enter his mind. When he voiced his concern to the present company, several people looked rather horrified, Lupin's brow furrowed as he muttered the words Harry had written down from the intrusion again and again. Moodey continued looking at Harry darkly and chewing his eggs while he thought.
"These eggs are like rubber, Molly." Alastor muttered vaguely.
"Then you'll be eating rubber." She replied irritably, "Now what is it you were saying, Harry dear?"
"Well, it was just that I think it might've been Voldemort and-" He was interrupted by a knocking on the table, and severla heads turned to Hermione, who was sitting quietly at the last seat with a large smile on her face.
"Well then, you'll be allot happier now, won't you Harry?"
He gave her a look that could have melted steel. "Well actually Hermione, no. I'm really rather concerned about the Lord of Darkness popping into my head, but thanks for your concern."
"Don't be silly, Harry, it's a good thing!" She smiled, eating a strip of bacon.
"And just how do you come up with that?" Ron gave her an utterly confused face. Harry was too busy being outraged to notice a look of wonder coming over Lupin's face and a sudden laugh tickling Moodey.
"Well, because your Occlumency obviously worked."
"Actually Herm, me hearing him means I failed, failed miserably, and I..." He suddenly paused, a look of wonder coming over his face as he turned to Lupin and Alastor.
"..And you didn't kill any of us, you had a tantrum because you were scared, but you blocked Voldemort and got on with being scared. Get it?" She gave Harry and Ron the patient look she often did when they weren't absorbing something.
Ron looked over at Harry, eyebrows hidden beneath his bangs. "Blimey..."
Moodey barked with laughter. "You didn't tell us you snuffed out the 'dark lord' when he tried to get in your head!"
"Well, I didn't think on it..." Harry was vaguely offended by the use of the word 'tantrum' and blinked, between cheering and an unhappy glare. Soon enough, a smile began to steal over him, though, and he began to laugh. Ron started to high-five him as the other boys stood up and started patting him and Hermione on the back, chuckling heartily. Ginny hugged him in a friendly way and laughed with him. The good mood continued when Hermione sneezed and Lupin began to seek out his cure-all for the two of them, because they looked like they were coming down with head colds.
Mrs. Weasley sneaked off the the kitchen, and quickly magicked some large, sticky cinnamon rolls. Soon everyone was celebrating, sipping cocoa, and eating the wonderful sticky buns. Harry looked around the room, laughing more heartily than he had in a great time. It was a rediculously odd reason for celebration, and yet it lightened his heart wonderfully.
Not his Quiddich victories, his victory for the house cup, his success in the Goblet of Fire, or any number of other successes had ever felt as wonderful as the first time Harry conquered Voldemort without bringing harm to another.
Silently, Harry wished Sirius had lived to see this day. His tearful moment of thought surmounted in a quiet toast to his Godfather, and for the first time Harry openly mourned to the people who meant the most to him.
As Harry looked in each solemn face, he swore that this would not be the last bloodless victory. He would carry them through the war, and come what may, at the next celebration there would not be a toast.
Harry sipped the steaming cocoa, and smiled in the heat.
This was why he would succeed, and why he would live. He would fight anything to make sure he didn't end up alone, as he had thought he already was. Hermione had been right, as usual.
She looked up at him from a chair, and in those chocolate eyes he saw it, that aggravating smile said it perfectly.
She knew she was right, too.
~~~~~
A/N: Special thanks to Dvomang, who had a lovely way to solve the chaptering acess issue, and this works for any story. If you see the chapter listed but you can't contact it, do this: call one of the chapters up, add the following after the story ID number. &chapter=6L The last part is the chapter number plus any capital letter. Thanks for the help!
Tiger Lily: I'm trying, I'll do as much as I can. I'm hoping I'll be well into this by the end of August, aka something like a chapter every day or two, maybe more.
Evil Lady: Sorry, that Cho thing would be a little too drastic, but use it for any story you want!
Psy_Girl: For me to know and you to find out. Their kiss or not kiss matter is a tough one, so you'll have to keep reading.
HrryPttrFreak87: thank you!
Hermione_123: actually I'm not from that wonderful nation just North, but I do find it beautiful, and I thought it would be just random enough for Cho to 'move' to Canada from her homeland.
Chelle: I will comply, then. Here is another, and possibly one tomorrow.
PadfootOldBuddyOldPal: Well, you know some of the answers, and there is a solution to the chapter issue right above.
Songbyrd14: *Crosses fingers* I hope I can, too!
Thanks all, you're wonderful!
~~~~~
Chapter Eight: Melody Box
Disclaimer: I woke up one day and wasn't J.K. Rowling. I was sad, so I decided to write Fanfiction, and this is what you get!
A/N: If you want to find the song played in the music box, it is called Deja Blue, and it is on Kazaa lite. I highly recommend it!! It is derived from a song called: "Yakusoku wa Iranai; I Don't Need Promises", another one I recommend.
~~~~~
When Harry dragged in Hermione, who was somewhat awake at this point, it took him a good ten minuets to explain to a rather panicked Mrs. Weasley that they were both alright. Hermione looked completely saturated, but otherwise fine. Harry was, in fact, the one who looked ruffled, probably because of his dip in the flood. He looked evenly at the flaming woman before him, staring. She was, after all, a rather frightening person. Her husband looked apologetically at Harry from a distance while the boy smiled weakly.
Lupin came forward quietly with two towels, ushering the children away from Molly and towards the fire. There were two mugs of hot chocolate steaming before them, and soon enough the other children crept quietly down the stairs and began asking questions with rapt attention. Harry was shocked how quickly he was forgiven, but Ron only winked at him when he asked, after his mother was out of hearing range.
"Well you know Harry, we've all had a bit of a scuff with her on one matter or another, and this just proves you're one of the family. And admittedly, I'm a bit glad you spoke up. She's been too protective of you and it wears on a guy."
Fred nodded gravely. "Mum is a love, really, but she tries to protect all of us too much, and there comes a time when a guy- and a girl, sorry Gin- just has to stand up and tell her to face facts. If she tries to protect you too much-"
"-she'll only get hurt." George finished, smiling.
"Look Harry, the point is, even though you were rude, you did the right thing." Ginny finished the sentiments of her brothers, which were affirmed by a swift nod from even the oldest.
Charlie smiled at him. "Besides, mum'll forgive you, you were damn scared to death, and I'd be too in your place."
Bill bowed his head. "Yeah Harry, you looked positively shaken, white as a ghost. What brought it on?"
Harry sighed a bit, rubbing his eyes. He was beginning to get tired, and smiled wearily at the others. "I'll tell you in the morning, right?"
A bit disappointed, though obviously understanding, the crowd around him parted and Harry trudged up the stairs and towards the room he shared with Ron. He paused, though, outside of Hermione's room, peering through the slightly open door.
He had barely even noticed she had left downstairs, and worried vaguely that she was upstairs crying, perhaps.
He heard the sound of something being wound, and then the delicate chords of a music box echoed into the empty hallway. He placed his eye to the slit and looked in.
Hermione sat on her bed, looking curiously at the box, squeezing water from her hair into a bucket on the floor, talking to nothing quietly. He began to hear quiet words from between the crack, and suddenly realized she was talking to her parents, at least it seemed she was. He peered for a time into the room, looking at the box.
On the side the words 'Little Feather' were engraved. Hermione smiled faintly, and yawned, turning out the light.
Harry slipped the door shut silently and padded to his bed.
~~~~~
The next morning a rowdey company sat at the table, grinning widely. Harry was silent, oddly, and looked at his bacon and eggs as if they might grow legs. He had been thinking on the voice her heard the night before and was truly concerned by morning time.
At first he could have sworn it had been Dumbledore, but this idea had been quashed quickly by the realization that the Headmaster had been at a board meeting with the Ministry of Magick at that time last night, and he would hardly bother to test Harry in the middle of a dissertation about the threat Voldemort presented. His brow furrowed as he chewed, thinking.
No matter how he turned it over in his mind, Harry was convinced the dark lord had attempted to enter his mind. When he voiced his concern to the present company, several people looked rather horrified, Lupin's brow furrowed as he muttered the words Harry had written down from the intrusion again and again. Moodey continued looking at Harry darkly and chewing his eggs while he thought.
"These eggs are like rubber, Molly." Alastor muttered vaguely.
"Then you'll be eating rubber." She replied irritably, "Now what is it you were saying, Harry dear?"
"Well, it was just that I think it might've been Voldemort and-" He was interrupted by a knocking on the table, and severla heads turned to Hermione, who was sitting quietly at the last seat with a large smile on her face.
"Well then, you'll be allot happier now, won't you Harry?"
He gave her a look that could have melted steel. "Well actually Hermione, no. I'm really rather concerned about the Lord of Darkness popping into my head, but thanks for your concern."
"Don't be silly, Harry, it's a good thing!" She smiled, eating a strip of bacon.
"And just how do you come up with that?" Ron gave her an utterly confused face. Harry was too busy being outraged to notice a look of wonder coming over Lupin's face and a sudden laugh tickling Moodey.
"Well, because your Occlumency obviously worked."
"Actually Herm, me hearing him means I failed, failed miserably, and I..." He suddenly paused, a look of wonder coming over his face as he turned to Lupin and Alastor.
"..And you didn't kill any of us, you had a tantrum because you were scared, but you blocked Voldemort and got on with being scared. Get it?" She gave Harry and Ron the patient look she often did when they weren't absorbing something.
Ron looked over at Harry, eyebrows hidden beneath his bangs. "Blimey..."
Moodey barked with laughter. "You didn't tell us you snuffed out the 'dark lord' when he tried to get in your head!"
"Well, I didn't think on it..." Harry was vaguely offended by the use of the word 'tantrum' and blinked, between cheering and an unhappy glare. Soon enough, a smile began to steal over him, though, and he began to laugh. Ron started to high-five him as the other boys stood up and started patting him and Hermione on the back, chuckling heartily. Ginny hugged him in a friendly way and laughed with him. The good mood continued when Hermione sneezed and Lupin began to seek out his cure-all for the two of them, because they looked like they were coming down with head colds.
Mrs. Weasley sneaked off the the kitchen, and quickly magicked some large, sticky cinnamon rolls. Soon everyone was celebrating, sipping cocoa, and eating the wonderful sticky buns. Harry looked around the room, laughing more heartily than he had in a great time. It was a rediculously odd reason for celebration, and yet it lightened his heart wonderfully.
Not his Quiddich victories, his victory for the house cup, his success in the Goblet of Fire, or any number of other successes had ever felt as wonderful as the first time Harry conquered Voldemort without bringing harm to another.
Silently, Harry wished Sirius had lived to see this day. His tearful moment of thought surmounted in a quiet toast to his Godfather, and for the first time Harry openly mourned to the people who meant the most to him.
As Harry looked in each solemn face, he swore that this would not be the last bloodless victory. He would carry them through the war, and come what may, at the next celebration there would not be a toast.
Harry sipped the steaming cocoa, and smiled in the heat.
This was why he would succeed, and why he would live. He would fight anything to make sure he didn't end up alone, as he had thought he already was. Hermione had been right, as usual.
She looked up at him from a chair, and in those chocolate eyes he saw it, that aggravating smile said it perfectly.
She knew she was right, too.
~~~~~
A/N: Special thanks to Dvomang, who had a lovely way to solve the chaptering acess issue, and this works for any story. If you see the chapter listed but you can't contact it, do this: call one of the chapters up, add the following after the story ID number. &chapter=6L The last part is the chapter number plus any capital letter. Thanks for the help!
Tiger Lily: I'm trying, I'll do as much as I can. I'm hoping I'll be well into this by the end of August, aka something like a chapter every day or two, maybe more.
Evil Lady: Sorry, that Cho thing would be a little too drastic, but use it for any story you want!
Psy_Girl: For me to know and you to find out. Their kiss or not kiss matter is a tough one, so you'll have to keep reading.
HrryPttrFreak87: thank you!
Hermione_123: actually I'm not from that wonderful nation just North, but I do find it beautiful, and I thought it would be just random enough for Cho to 'move' to Canada from her homeland.
Chelle: I will comply, then. Here is another, and possibly one tomorrow.
PadfootOldBuddyOldPal: Well, you know some of the answers, and there is a solution to the chapter issue right above.
Songbyrd14: *Crosses fingers* I hope I can, too!
Thanks all, you're wonderful!
~~~~~