"R - Ron," Hermione began, looking to him in pity.
He looked to her and shook his head, "S'alright, 'Mione," he paused and looked to where Dean had just dissapeared, "I'm just not sure we should of let him go."
"But you just said it was alright, and you two apparated from there didn't you?" she said cocking a confused eyebrow at him.
He nodded and after a moment stood up, "Three," he corrected softly and Hermione looked down to her feet.
"What are we supposed to do now?" She asked looking back up to him.
Ron shrugged and looked behind him and back to her wearing a familiar smile, "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."
She smiled back to him and stood up, "Alright Ron, let's see what there is to eat," she said and walked into the kitchen.
**
"Mum, Mr. Lupin is here!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly to her mother as he opened the door. Staying over the summer with only her mother was boring her to death, and visitors of any kind were quite welcome. But as soon as she saw his face her smile dropped.
"Good to see you Remus," came her mother's usual bubbly tone she put on when they had visitors. Her smile also fell when she looked to him again.
"What's wrong, Remus?" She asked quickly. He shot a meaningful glance at Ginny and her mother turned quickly to her. "Oh yes, Ginny be a dear and go upstairs if you will." She said trying to sound cheery.
She sulked at both of them but quickly made her way up the stairs. But instead of heading to her room she took a sharp left turn and tried to keep her footsteps light, she knew her mother would be listening.
She slowly creeped her way to a nearby wall and tapped on it three times in a specific pattern and a door appeared. She opened it soundlessly and stepped in, it immeadiately closing behind her.
The space was almost pitch black, with the exception of the light shining dimly through an air vent. She crawled over to it and looked down to where her mother and Lupin were standing just out of view.
"I think she's gone," she heard her mother whisper to him.
"Listen Molly, there's no easy way to tell you this," she heard him begin.
"Is it Ron? Or Fred? Or George?" She cried in almost hysteria.
"No, they're all fine, it's just - Harry," he said quietly.
Ginny's attention was caught by now and she wished she could see their faces.
"What about him?" Her mother cried.
"They've got him, Molly," Lupin whispered.
"Voldemort?" She gasped quietly.
Ginny still couldn't see anything but assumed Lupin had nodded because her mother burst out in tears.
"No Remus, he can't of, I've already lost Bill, it's just - " She choked through her sobs and took a step back so that Ginny could see her clearly now.
Lupin was soon beside her and looked more depressed than ever. "That Dean boy that was with him and Ron came to tell me in London. He seemed to be in quite a hurry and almost dissapeared as soon as he had told me. I think they were planning something, Molly."
"Were?" Ginny mumbled to herself and the same word escaped her mother's lips who had now ceased sobbing.
Lupin shut his eyes and rubbed them slowly, "Death Eaters," he said simply, "I was barely able to get away, but as for Dean," he sighed and hit the wall angrily.
"Remus - "Her mother began but he shook his head.
"They're going to try to save him, Molly." He said swiftly and she watched him for a moment in confusion. "Those two, try to take on Voldemort themselves!" He scoffed and Ginny's eyes grew wide.
"But there's no way!" Her mother began.
Lupin nodded, "And there's no way to find them in time, Dean wouldn't tell me where they were - "
"Why ever not?" She cried.
He shook his head, "Said Hermione told him not to tell, that too many people would get Harry killed - "
"They're going to get him killed! And themselves!" She exclaimed now back in hysteria. "I'm only going to have Ginny left at the rate this is going," she sobbed. "And this is her last year at the safest place in all of Europe!"
By now Ginny was crying gently to herself aswell. Dean was dead, Harry was trapped, and her brother and just about her best friend were going to try and face Voldemort by themselves; and what was worse was that she wasn't able to do anything at all.
"Speaking of Ginny," Lupin began looking stealthly up to her and she noticed that her tears were dripping through the vent. She hurried to wipe them away and he continued. "Are you going to tell her?"
Her mother looked up the stairs with a mixed expression, obviously not noticing the tear drops. "I'm not sure, she goes back to Hogwarts next week." She paused, "I - I don't want her worrying."
Ginny sulked through her tears, she was never told anything!
Lupin nodded and her mother went on wiping a few tears, "Well Remus, hungry?" She asked sucking in a breath.
He nodded again, "Famished," he said smiling half heartedly and began to follow her into the kitchen. Before he did though he turned back to where Ginny could see him and pointed upstairs.
"Go," he mouthed to her wearing a slightly annoyed but relieved expression.
Her eyes grew wide and she quickly stood up quietly as possible. She tip-toed to the door where she did the same hand movement and it slid open, shutting silently once more behind her as she climbed out.
Lupin had dissapeared into the kitchen and she hurried to her room. She closed her door softly behind her and jumped onto her bed, wiping away her tear stains and trying not to look guilty.
He came up about ten minutes later, and by then she was already crying again. He'd given her too long to dwell over what she had just heard. Dean's death took a harder toll on her than anyone might of suspected.
They had, after all, broken it off a few months after the beginning of her fifth year, (Much to Ron's excitement of course) but she still had reguarded him as a good friend. And with Harry trapped too! She sobbed a bit harder into her pillow.
Slowly her door opened and she tried to fight off her tears as she saw Lupin walk in. He didn't pay her any attention at first, but grabbed a nearby chair and pulled in infront of her bed. He sat down but she wasn't ready for a lecture yet and buried herself futher into her pillow.
He permitted the resistance for a minute or so but then grew slightly bored with watching the teenager sob. "You wouldn't be in this state if you hadn't been easedropping," he began slowly and she looked swiftly to him.
"But you nor Mum would of told me either! I'd rather find out this way than not at all!" She exclaimed.
Lupin looked to her door and back to her, "Sh, I don't want your mother hearing you," he instructed and they sat in silence for a moment, her tears now falling onto her bedspread.
It was her that finally spoke, "So Dean's - Dean's dead?" She asked quietly and he only nodded. "But what about H - Harry, and Ron, and Hermione?" She continued, hoping for a better answer that what he had given her mother.
Her hope wasn't fufilled, "Honestly Ginny, I don't know. You heard most of what happened earlier," at this he paused and then went on, "But you shouldn't be worrying about them - "
"They're my friends! And my brother!" She cried and he immeadiately silenced her.
"Please, do keep your voice down," he sighed rubbing his eyes in the same stressful mannor. "I know they're your friends Ginny, but you've got to concentrate on school for now, you're leaving next week as your mother pointed out. There's no need for you to involve yourself."
She stared at him, "Voldemort's got Harry! My brother and my best friend are going to try and save him! And Merlin! If they even make it out alive - " she stopped quickly but continued before Lupin had time to say anything more. " -- And you want me to not get involved?" she said firmly.
"Yes," he said simply staring back at her with his sunken - hopeless eyes.
She opened her mouth to argue again but closed it again and looked down to her feet. She finally realized these last two years had been harder for him than anyone else in the order. He had lost Sirius - the last remaining friend from his old school days, Bill - who had become a great friend of his after their few years together at the Order, and now Harry was captured - the last reminder of James, Lily, and Sirius he had left, not to mention he had become like a father to Harry after Sirius' death - knowing he could never take Sirius' place of course. The last thing he wanted would be for Harry, Ron, or Hermione to die - nor herself for that matter.
The silence had become eerie and Ginny sat up a bit straighter and looked back to Lupin. "What was your seventh year like?" She asked suddenly, trying to get Lupin out of his depressed state for the time being.
Her question seemed to startle her and he looked to her blankly for a moment until a smile creeped up the face - exactly the effect she had been hoping for.
"It was great," he grinned, "James and Sirius got in so much trouble, it was amazing, I close at their heels most of the time. Of course," he sat up straighter and put on a somewhat mocking posture. "I had to keep in check seeing how I was a prefect."
Ginny listened eagerly, smiling aswell, "Dumbledore saw right through that though, right?" She asked.
He laughed, "Of course! I don't think McGonagal was fooled either, and Snape - " he cringed, " - he was more sleezy than ever, always trying to hex Sirius and James behind their backs. James never reacted though, had to keep clean for Lily." He was lost in thought for a moment, reliving old memories.
Soon he snapped back to realitly and looked to her again, "You'll have a great time Ginny," he assured her and stood up. "I must be off though, Moody's already trying to track down the two." He paused and she was slightly startled he was telling her anything. "Just remember Ginny, you've got a year to spare before you can join the Order, don't be too eager to mix with the war." He said and exited her room.
He looked to her and shook his head, "S'alright, 'Mione," he paused and looked to where Dean had just dissapeared, "I'm just not sure we should of let him go."
"But you just said it was alright, and you two apparated from there didn't you?" she said cocking a confused eyebrow at him.
He nodded and after a moment stood up, "Three," he corrected softly and Hermione looked down to her feet.
"What are we supposed to do now?" She asked looking back up to him.
Ron shrugged and looked behind him and back to her wearing a familiar smile, "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."
She smiled back to him and stood up, "Alright Ron, let's see what there is to eat," she said and walked into the kitchen.
**
"Mum, Mr. Lupin is here!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly to her mother as he opened the door. Staying over the summer with only her mother was boring her to death, and visitors of any kind were quite welcome. But as soon as she saw his face her smile dropped.
"Good to see you Remus," came her mother's usual bubbly tone she put on when they had visitors. Her smile also fell when she looked to him again.
"What's wrong, Remus?" She asked quickly. He shot a meaningful glance at Ginny and her mother turned quickly to her. "Oh yes, Ginny be a dear and go upstairs if you will." She said trying to sound cheery.
She sulked at both of them but quickly made her way up the stairs. But instead of heading to her room she took a sharp left turn and tried to keep her footsteps light, she knew her mother would be listening.
She slowly creeped her way to a nearby wall and tapped on it three times in a specific pattern and a door appeared. She opened it soundlessly and stepped in, it immeadiately closing behind her.
The space was almost pitch black, with the exception of the light shining dimly through an air vent. She crawled over to it and looked down to where her mother and Lupin were standing just out of view.
"I think she's gone," she heard her mother whisper to him.
"Listen Molly, there's no easy way to tell you this," she heard him begin.
"Is it Ron? Or Fred? Or George?" She cried in almost hysteria.
"No, they're all fine, it's just - Harry," he said quietly.
Ginny's attention was caught by now and she wished she could see their faces.
"What about him?" Her mother cried.
"They've got him, Molly," Lupin whispered.
"Voldemort?" She gasped quietly.
Ginny still couldn't see anything but assumed Lupin had nodded because her mother burst out in tears.
"No Remus, he can't of, I've already lost Bill, it's just - " She choked through her sobs and took a step back so that Ginny could see her clearly now.
Lupin was soon beside her and looked more depressed than ever. "That Dean boy that was with him and Ron came to tell me in London. He seemed to be in quite a hurry and almost dissapeared as soon as he had told me. I think they were planning something, Molly."
"Were?" Ginny mumbled to herself and the same word escaped her mother's lips who had now ceased sobbing.
Lupin shut his eyes and rubbed them slowly, "Death Eaters," he said simply, "I was barely able to get away, but as for Dean," he sighed and hit the wall angrily.
"Remus - "Her mother began but he shook his head.
"They're going to try to save him, Molly." He said swiftly and she watched him for a moment in confusion. "Those two, try to take on Voldemort themselves!" He scoffed and Ginny's eyes grew wide.
"But there's no way!" Her mother began.
Lupin nodded, "And there's no way to find them in time, Dean wouldn't tell me where they were - "
"Why ever not?" She cried.
He shook his head, "Said Hermione told him not to tell, that too many people would get Harry killed - "
"They're going to get him killed! And themselves!" She exclaimed now back in hysteria. "I'm only going to have Ginny left at the rate this is going," she sobbed. "And this is her last year at the safest place in all of Europe!"
By now Ginny was crying gently to herself aswell. Dean was dead, Harry was trapped, and her brother and just about her best friend were going to try and face Voldemort by themselves; and what was worse was that she wasn't able to do anything at all.
"Speaking of Ginny," Lupin began looking stealthly up to her and she noticed that her tears were dripping through the vent. She hurried to wipe them away and he continued. "Are you going to tell her?"
Her mother looked up the stairs with a mixed expression, obviously not noticing the tear drops. "I'm not sure, she goes back to Hogwarts next week." She paused, "I - I don't want her worrying."
Ginny sulked through her tears, she was never told anything!
Lupin nodded and her mother went on wiping a few tears, "Well Remus, hungry?" She asked sucking in a breath.
He nodded again, "Famished," he said smiling half heartedly and began to follow her into the kitchen. Before he did though he turned back to where Ginny could see him and pointed upstairs.
"Go," he mouthed to her wearing a slightly annoyed but relieved expression.
Her eyes grew wide and she quickly stood up quietly as possible. She tip-toed to the door where she did the same hand movement and it slid open, shutting silently once more behind her as she climbed out.
Lupin had dissapeared into the kitchen and she hurried to her room. She closed her door softly behind her and jumped onto her bed, wiping away her tear stains and trying not to look guilty.
He came up about ten minutes later, and by then she was already crying again. He'd given her too long to dwell over what she had just heard. Dean's death took a harder toll on her than anyone might of suspected.
They had, after all, broken it off a few months after the beginning of her fifth year, (Much to Ron's excitement of course) but she still had reguarded him as a good friend. And with Harry trapped too! She sobbed a bit harder into her pillow.
Slowly her door opened and she tried to fight off her tears as she saw Lupin walk in. He didn't pay her any attention at first, but grabbed a nearby chair and pulled in infront of her bed. He sat down but she wasn't ready for a lecture yet and buried herself futher into her pillow.
He permitted the resistance for a minute or so but then grew slightly bored with watching the teenager sob. "You wouldn't be in this state if you hadn't been easedropping," he began slowly and she looked swiftly to him.
"But you nor Mum would of told me either! I'd rather find out this way than not at all!" She exclaimed.
Lupin looked to her door and back to her, "Sh, I don't want your mother hearing you," he instructed and they sat in silence for a moment, her tears now falling onto her bedspread.
It was her that finally spoke, "So Dean's - Dean's dead?" She asked quietly and he only nodded. "But what about H - Harry, and Ron, and Hermione?" She continued, hoping for a better answer that what he had given her mother.
Her hope wasn't fufilled, "Honestly Ginny, I don't know. You heard most of what happened earlier," at this he paused and then went on, "But you shouldn't be worrying about them - "
"They're my friends! And my brother!" She cried and he immeadiately silenced her.
"Please, do keep your voice down," he sighed rubbing his eyes in the same stressful mannor. "I know they're your friends Ginny, but you've got to concentrate on school for now, you're leaving next week as your mother pointed out. There's no need for you to involve yourself."
She stared at him, "Voldemort's got Harry! My brother and my best friend are going to try and save him! And Merlin! If they even make it out alive - " she stopped quickly but continued before Lupin had time to say anything more. " -- And you want me to not get involved?" she said firmly.
"Yes," he said simply staring back at her with his sunken - hopeless eyes.
She opened her mouth to argue again but closed it again and looked down to her feet. She finally realized these last two years had been harder for him than anyone else in the order. He had lost Sirius - the last remaining friend from his old school days, Bill - who had become a great friend of his after their few years together at the Order, and now Harry was captured - the last reminder of James, Lily, and Sirius he had left, not to mention he had become like a father to Harry after Sirius' death - knowing he could never take Sirius' place of course. The last thing he wanted would be for Harry, Ron, or Hermione to die - nor herself for that matter.
The silence had become eerie and Ginny sat up a bit straighter and looked back to Lupin. "What was your seventh year like?" She asked suddenly, trying to get Lupin out of his depressed state for the time being.
Her question seemed to startle her and he looked to her blankly for a moment until a smile creeped up the face - exactly the effect she had been hoping for.
"It was great," he grinned, "James and Sirius got in so much trouble, it was amazing, I close at their heels most of the time. Of course," he sat up straighter and put on a somewhat mocking posture. "I had to keep in check seeing how I was a prefect."
Ginny listened eagerly, smiling aswell, "Dumbledore saw right through that though, right?" She asked.
He laughed, "Of course! I don't think McGonagal was fooled either, and Snape - " he cringed, " - he was more sleezy than ever, always trying to hex Sirius and James behind their backs. James never reacted though, had to keep clean for Lily." He was lost in thought for a moment, reliving old memories.
Soon he snapped back to realitly and looked to her again, "You'll have a great time Ginny," he assured her and stood up. "I must be off though, Moody's already trying to track down the two." He paused and she was slightly startled he was telling her anything. "Just remember Ginny, you've got a year to spare before you can join the Order, don't be too eager to mix with the war." He said and exited her room.