Chapter 13
Harry wandered into to the common room a half hour later. Ginny was sitting quietly in a chair reading a potions book on advanced medical drafts. The rest of the Companions were missing. Harry raised his eyebrow to Ginny. "Oh, what, you think we are the only ones with a relationship?" She asked in faux shock.
Suddenly it registered to him "You mean Lisa and…" his eyes opened wide.
"Well Dean and Hanna have been pretty friendly lately, Justin and Cho came together after we got back tonight, and well you know about us, and Ron and Hermione."
He looked at Ginny, "How long have Lisa and Susan been together?" His mind reeled that the whispered discussions he'd heard about them might be true.
Ginny laughed "Since your third year Harry. They have just been quiet about it."
Harry snorted. "I mean I had heard things, but I didn't really believe them. How come I'm the last to know this stuff?"
"Well, two reasons Harry. One you are dense as stone when it comes to matters of the heart, and two you had other things on your mind." Ginny explained to him patiently.
"So what do we do while the rest of the Companions work out their extra energy?" Harry asked almost grumpily.
"Why Harry, have so little imagination?" Ginny laughed and flung a book at him. "Read oh Wise One."
Harry picked up the book; Ron had been trying to get him to read it for months. "What can I learn from this?"
"Harry, dear." Ginny started sounding a frightening lot like Molly Weasley, "He was the greatest military thinker of his time, and while some of what he says is out of date the ideas are all sound."
"And what in the hell kind of name is 'Sun Tsu'" But he sighed and started reading anyway.
Harry glanced up from his book, oddly, much of it made perfect sense. While many of the passages contained archaic terms, there was much that was enlightening to say the least. He stretched, and headed to the table where he was shocked to find the rest of the house already starting.
"Came up for air?" Ron asked around a chicken leg.
Harry glanced at the table, and stopped, an odd look crossing his face.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked him.
It was as if he saw everything for the first time. "I'm not hungry." He turned his back on the table and stared out into the inky darkness of night.
The conversation at the table had stopped. He felt Ginny moving towards him. "Harry, what's wrong?"
A cold, hollow laugh escaped his lips. "You don't see it do you?" He turned to the others suddenly, the look on his face was similar to look he had in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, pure rage padded by disgust. "We are clean, warm, dry, well fed. Look at how those kids were treated and we are sitting here eating chicken, and reading, showering and…" his voice trailed off, grief was threatening to overwhelm him.
Cho walked up to Harry, and with a 'CRACK' that echoed through the common room, and stunned all of them, Harry most of all. "How dare you, you arrogant bastard." Her voice cut through him like steel. "What are we supposed to do Harry?"
Harry slumped against the wall. The mark of Cho's had glowing across the left side of his face. "I don't know Cho, but how can we sit here pretending nothing has happened, like there aren't kids, good kids who are right now afraid of the dark because that's when Malfoy's bastard followers would come use them?" His eye's lit up again, the passion and anger swelling. "How in the hell can we let them breathe even one more day?"
Cho glared at him. "You have no right Potter." Their eyes met the others backed away from them as they felt raw magic begin to surge in the room. "You do not have the right to bear all this on your own. We are a group, a family; we bear this together or not at all."
Harry blinked. "Cho?"
She Looked at Harry oddly for a minute. "You're not Cedric…" and passed out.
"Well, that was… unexpected." Ron looked nervously at Cho. "How did she learn to do that?"
Harry shrugged, "I really have no idea Ron. Well, let's get her on the couch, and order up a whopping huge second course for her."
Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder. "Need to talk?"
Harry smiled gently at her. "No, actually, I think I got it all out now."
She chuckled as her lips brushed over his.
"So Harry," Justin looked up from Cho's sleeping face. "Want to tell us how you really feel mate?"
Nervous laughter filled the common room and even Harry had to admit he was right. They were only human, and eating bugs and living in cages would only make them easy targets. "Justin, do you want me to bring your meal to you?" Harry asked softly. Justin nodded, and Harry brought over his plate, and goblet. "She'll be ok Justin."
Justin looked up at Harry Potter. He was so many things to so many people, some sort of icon in the wizardling world, and to be honest every boy worshipped the Boy Hero, and dreamt to be him. Justin had come to realize that the idolizing hadn't gone to his head; he was just a scared kid, like himself. The only difference was Justin had family to turn to, from what he heard tell from Ron, Ginny and Hermione Harry's family was almost as bad as Voldemort. How he managed to survive this long Justin could not fathom. "Yeah, I know. I'm just going to stay here a bit."
Harry smiled and nodded. "I understand." He turned as if to leave them and stopped, then he spoke again, softly, and Justin barely heard the words. "We need to all live for now. Because this minute could be all we have. You and Cho are good together; she needs someone to help her heal from Cedric."
Justin nodded, seeing a tear travel down his cheek. "You know Harry; you can't save everyone by yourself."
Harry nodded, brushed the tear away, and sat down to eat.
Hermione had been getting copies of the Daily Prophet delivered since the middle of last year, and she was just opening today's edition. What they saw on the front page was highly amusing.
AFFLUENT WIZARDING FAMILY ATTACKED BY OFFSHOOT OF THE DEATH EATERS.
Apparently, at dusk two days ago, a small, well trained, and heavily armed force of death eaters convinced of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named attacked the home of Lucius Malfoy.
"It was an unprovoked and completely disgusting cowardly attack." Said long time friend of the family Macnair. "They barged in during supper, and threw around curses. They stole some valuable jewelry and artifacts, no doubt to pay for their fiendish plans."
Minister Fudge has been unavailable for comment, and has not been seen publicly for nearly a week, nor has Fudges most vocal opponent Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
Harry threw the paper down in disgust. "Us death eaters! This is asinine! I've half a mind to set them straight!"
"And tell the real death eaters how to find us Harry?" Justin asked from Cho's side. "No, let this go, we can use it to our advantage later on."
"Ok, enough of this. I need to know where the rest of them are." Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Go talk to the kids we rescued this morning. Find out anything you can. We need to recover more students." The two stood and headed to the exit. "I'm sorry, but you may have to ask the abuse victims too." They heard the pang of regret in his voice. "Lisa, and Susan, we need more of the dampening potions. I don't care what you need to do to get the ingredients, just get them. Also work on the potion Snape gave us. I want that ready to go before we move again. Ginny, you and I will double check the supplies. Dean, Hanna I need you two to go back over everything we have so far, I don't care how you find out, but I need to know how to get to Lucius Malfoy. He has become my Number two most wanted."
The common room felt more like home with people working Harry thought, more like Gryffindor. Ginny and he had just completed their inventory, and were deciding what supplies needed when there was a knock, well more like a pounding, at the door. Harry strode over to the door unbolted it and opened it to see a troll leering at him.
"'Arry Pott'r 'as a vis'tor." The troll drawled out.
Harry left the common room following the troll. Standing in the hallway was a man Harry could not remember ever meeting, though to be honest since his return to the wizardling world, he had met a lot of people.
"Harry! How are you?" The man seemed genuinely glad to see Harry.
"What can I do for you Mr…" Harry hoped he'd get the hint.
"Kleeves," the man said his smile toned down a notch. He was obviously hurt that Harry didn't remember him. He looked him over again thinking back. Tallish, though not much over six foot, not overweight or over muscular, but not skinny either. Robes were in good repair, but not particularly fashionable, blondish red hair and grey eyes. This man was singularly unremarkable.
"Well then Mr. Kleeves, tell me what an American is doing at Hogwarts?"
"Why, looking for you! You didn't think Dumbledore would leave you to your own devices do you? I just recently got a notice that his office has been vacant too long." He turned to the trolls. "Are you going to get us past them? What I have to tell you is for you and your house alone."
His eyes locked on Harry's "This is urgent Harry, we don't have much time."
"Follow me then." He turned and led him to the statue. "Voldemort." After a short pause Harry looked at him. "Erm, you have to say it too."
"Oh, yes, yes of course… Sorry. Voldemort" Kleeves said easily to the statue.
They entered the common room, and Harry turned on Kleeves. "In about ten minutes, I'm calling the trolls in here. Convince me not to." He crossed his arms and leaned against the couch where Cho was still sleeping. His gaze never wavered from Kleeves.
"Ok then, here goes. I was sent for by Dumbledore to train you ten." He looked at them, young and cocky. "However, I only count eight of you, counting the unconscious girl. I assume the other two are…" he pulled the same trick Harry had in the hall.
"Interviewing the kids we recovered from Malfoy Manor." Harry answered.
"Well, I'm sorry Harry, but this has to wait until their return." He walked to the table knocked on it, and a goblet appeared filled with a deep brown liquid. He spun a chair around and sat in it backwards, sipping from the goblet.
Ginny looked from the stranger to Harry, and saw the anger rising in him. She made to move to Harry. "Ginny, stop." The stranger said, and she froze in her tracks. "Let him get brassed."
Ginny's' head spun towards Kleeves. "What?"
"I said, let him get brassed." Kleeves said nonchalantly.
Harry was staring at Kleeves with a slack mouth. "Explain how you do that."
"You should know by now Harry, and unless I am horribly mistaken, and I'm not, Ms. Chang knows how as well. Though honestly, I'd have expected the next one to be Granger or one of the Weasleys." He took another sip from his goblet.
"Who in the hell are you?" Harry's hand was straying to his wand.
"Don't do that Harry. You'd hate the consequences." Kleeves finished his drink and placed the goblet on the table, and it sank away out of sight.
He looked around the room at each person in turn finally settling on Harry. "Play cards?"
"I beg your pardon?" Harry couldn't believe the audacity of this man.
"Do. You. Play. Cards. You know the little rectangle piece of cardboard, with numbers on one side and a pattern on the other?" He reached into his cloak and drew out a deck of cards. A hole was punched neatly in the middle, and the backing had Excalibur Hotel and Casino on it.
"No." Harry answered.
"Good, then I'll win a few hands. Come sit down." He gestured to the table.
Harry and Ginny took seats. "The game is five card stud. Simple game and we play for information. The one with the best hand asks a question, and the loser has to answer it honestly." He stuck out his hand. Harry shook it feeling the magical binding. He then shook with Ginny. "Ok, good. Shall we then?"
He dealt five cards to each with a practiced hand. Harry glanced at his cards, he knew poker well enough, and Fred and George had played a few 'friendly games' with him until he wised up to them. Two pair, not bad' He considered the cards. "I'll raise your question, with another question."
Kleeves grinned. "I like your style. Are you in or out Ms. Weasley?"
"In." She replied.
They laid down their cards Ginny had three of a kind, and Kleeves a royal flush. "I win." He said. He turned to Ginny. "Are you a natural read head?"
Ginny blushed scarlet. "HEY! That is none of your damn business!" Harry exploded from his seat.
"I'm just asking, I didn't mean she had to prove anything." Kleeves shrugged. "Besides, that's my question, and she is bound to answer."
"Yes." Was her reply, Ginny was liking the man less and less.
"Do you love Harry?" Kleeves asked calm as if he had asked the time of day.
"What the hell kind of questions are these?" Harry asked his voice tense.
"I won them, they are my questions, and I'll ask whatever I chose."
"Of course I do." Ginny said pride in her voice.
Kleeves turned to Harry. "Good, now, do you love Ginny?"
Harry looked like he'd rather kill Kleeves than continue this game. "Yes Kleeves, I do, very much."
"Excellent. Now Harry, this is important, so think about this before you answer. Would you kill Ron to save Ginny?"
Harry sat there stunned. What in the hell was he getting at? "Kleeves, I don't understand what is going on, I need some explanation first."
"No Harry you don't you simply need to say 'yes' or 'no'." Kleeves face was impassive as the stone walls.
"Under certain circumstances, yes I would." Harry said his voice cold with anger.
"Good." He pulled out his wand and placed it on the table. "Now Harry. Listen to me carefully. Draw your wand, and point it at the door. If Ron comes in alone, kill him."
"You are completely mad Kleeves! I'll do no such thing!"
"Then, Harry, in five minutes time Ginny will be dead." He stood up and move to the fireplace.
Harry looked at Ginny; her face was showing the pain of the thought process. Harry moved in front of her, and picked up Kleeves wand. "What are you playing at Kleeves?"
"I'm not Harry. I'm not." He rubbed his hands in front of the fire warming them.
Time seemed to stand still, Harry's wand still in his hand was pointing at the door. Had it been more than five minutes? He didn't think so, and a small hand grabbing his arm told him Ginny was thinking the same thing.
The door slowly slid open. Ron Weasley walked into the common room and looked around. "What, I got something on my nose?"
Harry had a moment of indecision. "Ron, did Dumbledore get his Christmas Present?"
Ron blinked. "Of course."
"Stupefy" Ron slid into unconsciousness on the floor. Harry looked down at him. "That's not Ron."
Kleeves looked at Harry a moment. "How did you know to trust me and not him? And why didn't you kill him?"
Harry glanced at Kleeves. "Stupefy".
He walked over to the two unconscious forms on the floor. "Bind them in manacles. Then wake 'Kleeves', he has explaining to do. When the Polyjuice potion wears of 'Ron' we'll find out what he knows."
With Kleeves bound in the manacles, Harry searched him, finding nothing, he slipped Kleeves' wand in his pocket. He grabbed a dampening potion and doused Kleeves in it; he pointed his wand at the unconscious man, and said "Enervate".
Kleeves woke with a start. His eyes darted from person to person. "Accio wand." He was holding his hand up palm out. "Dampening potion then?" His hand folded into the other in his lap. "Nice manacles."
"Thanks the caretaker here has been most gracious and kept them well maintained throughout the years." Harry pulled up a chair. "Now Mr. Kleeves, we return to my last statement to you. You have five minutes." he pointed his wand tip to his watch. "Engorgio" and placed the now enlarged watch on the ground between them. "Convince me not to kill you."
Kleeves looked at the watch. "Nice watch."
Harry sighed deeply. "Talk Kleeves, I don't kill in cold blood."
"Harry, how much do you know about the way the world works?"
"The planet revolves around the sun. We get days and nights, and the years crawl by. Though for you time is precious, and my patience is running damn short."
"Well, physically, yeah. But metaphorically I mean Harry." He was sitting almost perfectly still, looking at Harry as if he were teaching a class.
"Well," this was something Harry had not contemplated, "not much I guess. What has this to do with anything?"
"Why, everything of course." His tone took one of a professor easily "simply put for the most part our choices dictate simply our own lives, not the world. Some people however are placed in a unique position that their choices will dictate the choices of others."
"Well like a mother and father?" his natural curiosity was taking over.
"Exactly, they make choices that dictate for their children; however some people will make choices that affect literally everyone."
"I see. So if one of these people were to not do something, it could alter the thinking of others?"
"Well, in a simple sense, yes." He pointed to the floor. "What would be different if these stones were marble rather than granite?"
Harry thought a moment. "Umm, nothing?"
"Exactly, in the grander scheme of things not a damn thing." He favored Harry with a smile.
"What the hell has this to do with us?" Cho had apparently woken during this exchange. "And who in the hell are you?"
"In a minute Cho." Harry said. "Go on Kleeves."
"So, assuming that something of that magnitude means nothing in the grander scheme of things, imagine the power behind the decisions made if one person's choices dictated the overall thinking of the entire human race, both wizard and muggle."
Harry definitely did not like the direction this conversation was taking. "Who."
"Well, there are two right now that we know of." He stood at this awkwardly, and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You and Voldemort."
"So when we make a choice, this can affect the thinking patterns of the world?"
"Yes. When you strike against Voldemorts forces, it weakens the impact of his ability to make influential choices. When he or his death eaters kill, it lessens the impact of your choices." He gave Harry's shoulder a light squeeze.
"So we need to keep fighting him? That's what you came to tell me? Why bother?" Harry was confused by this turn of events.
"Simple Harry, you are going to be tempted to quit the fight, and that simply cannot be allowed. We are counting on your victories."
"We?" Cho asked looking curious now.
"You don't really think you are the only ones fighting?" Kleeves turned to Cho. "There are witches and wizards all over the world fighting, in one capacity or another." He looked at them. "And you ten are our best hope for victory."
"Why us though? What makes us so damn special?" Ginny finally broke her silence.
"Why Ginny, you know the answer already, or I'm sadly mistaken about that ring."
"What has this to do with anything?"
"Once again, everything. Voldemort can't comprehend the emotion that made Harry give you that ring. Trust, love, friendship… These are foreign to him. As Tom Riddle he was shunted from the orphanage to poor schooling, and no friends, no one to care for him. He desired power more than anything; power to hurt those who hurt him." He turned to Harry. "By comparison, we have Harry, who was forcibly removed from his loving family, and placed with his muggle aunt and uncle who hated everything about him, he was placed in a worse environment than Riddle was, and yet he desires love, friendship, and a family, not power."
Harry looked stunned, and a bit shamed at his past so casually discussed. "So you are saying that by all rights I am truly the opposite of Riddle even though we share a common history?"
"Exactly Harry, exactly." He sat back down. "So how did I do then?"
Ginny stood behind Harry her hand on his shoulder. "You think we are special then?"
"No Ginny, I know you are. See, so long as you continue on, we have a chance. The war really is not going well, and any icon we have is a good one." He looked at Harry again. "Well, my time is about up." He looked at the 'Ron' on the floor. "Tell him my apologies." He flashed Ginny a smile. "You two really do make a hell of a couple." With that said he waved. "Be seeing you all." And he vanished.
Harry swore loud and long impressing most of the people there by not only the rather lengthy tirade, but the colorful metaphors.
He turned to the others, and pointed at Ron. "Strip him."
Cho raised her eyebrows. But sent Justin to help Harry remove the clothing from the wizard disguised as Ron.
They had the clothing in a neat pile, and a towel around his waist when he woke. "I take it," he said holding his head "that wasn't the pass code?"
"No." Harry said bluntly. "It wasn't. Your accomplice has already left via portkey. You however won't be. Now we have some questions."
"Oh, I am sure you do. Is that rather large watch accurate?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, why?" Harry asked.
"Well, in that case, we have about fifteen minutes, Mr. Potter. So please, by all means ask away."
Harry groaned. "Where's the portkey?"
"We swallow them." He grinned mirthlessly "it makes recovery easier."
Harry hadn't thought of that, but it was definitely an option. "Ok, first, I am not calling you Ron, so what's your real name?"
"Kerry"
Harry's mouth fell open. "Erm," and he quickly turned away from the image of his friend "do you want to get dressed?" his face was scarlet.
"Sure Harry and thanks. I'd hate like hell to wind up back in the center with just this towel, I wouldn't hear the end of it for months." After a brief rustling of clothing. "Ok I'm decent."
Harry turned back around to see Ron's face shifting and melting. He shrunk in size and form, finally a lithe woman sat in front of him. "You know of course, I'm going to have to punish someone thoroughly when I get back?"
Harry smiled briefly. "Yeah, I figured as much. So why the ruse? Why did he want me to kill you?"
"Oh he knew you wouldn't, just like I know as well."
"But how?"
"Because," she said shrugging. "You're Harry Potter."
He couldn't believe it. "You mean just because I am Harry Potter, you think I am incapable of killing?"
"Me? Yes, you are. A Death Eater? Oh I am sure you can."
"What makes you think I can't kill you?" He was eyeing her warily.
"Two things Mr. Potter, I am unarmed, and I am an innocent." She shrugged. "Got a nail file? I think I broke a nail."
Harry gaped at her audacity. "Nail file?"
"Yeah, flat metal thing rough on the side." Her expression was one of almost complete disinterest. Looking over the rest of her nails.
"I don't know." Harry looked at Ginny. "You have a nail file?"
Ginny glared at Harry and snorted in disgust. "Do I look like I have a nail file?"
He contemplated answering, but then thought better of it, fact is Ginny looked like a lot of things, but apparently the owner of a nail file wasn't one of them. "Well, apparently no."
"Damn, well that's cool I can wait."
"So you are an American as well I take it." Harry said trying not to sound completely stupid at this point.
"Well, I am sure the accent was a dead giveaway, but what was your first clue?" her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Look, I just trying…" Harry started.
"Look I don't give two squirts of cold rat piss what you want, really. I'm just killing," she glanced at the watch "seven minutes. If you don't mind, I'd rather do it in peace."
She folded her legs under her and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and became rhythmic.
Harry stood, and was unsurprised to hear the soft pop of her portkey activating. "Well, so what do we think of all this, then?"
The door swung open, Ron and Hermione came into a room full of animated discussion.