A/N - JKR owns everything familiar. Me --- not so much.
A/N - FYI - I don't usually respond individually to reviews b/c I hate it when I read a story that I think is 110,000 words to find out that one third of it is Author's Notes. If anyone wants a specific question answered, just tell me. Sako - I didn't spell it out exactly like I should have. I tried to imply it by making his first lesson such a successful one.
Chapter 48
Difficult Dilemma
Both wizards sat in Dumbledore's office waiting for the other to speak next. Harry couldn't quite read the expression in his headmaster's eyes. The question obviously surprised him. Harry wasn't sure why Dumbledore was so taken aback after all, to Harry the real shock was that he hadn't thought to ask earlier about how his parents made their living.
Harry was willing himself to sit still in his chair. He very much wanted to squirm under the scrutiny of the headmaster's gaze. He wished the older wizard would look away but Harry wouldn't back down, he hadn't asked anything he didn't have a right to know. Harry sat there silently, but not necessarily patiently. That nagging feeling from earlier in the year returned --- they were still treating him like a child and hiding things from him --- and it made him mad.
Finally Dumbledore began speaking. "Harry, this is an extremely difficult subject."
Even though he didn't understand why it was a difficult subject, he was determined to remain silent. He didn't want to aid the headmaster in going off on a tangent. He wanted an answer to his question.
"You see your parents didn't want you to know."
Harry couldn't repress his question this time. "What?"
"Even when your mother was still carrying you, both your parents were very adamant that you not follow in their footsteps just because it was their footsteps. I can only imagine how that sounds but that very thing happened to your father and both he and Lily were very determined that it wouldn't happen to you. Harry, I'm sorry if you're angry because you think you should know but I don't feel that it's my place to tell you."
"Not your place --- ??? Whose place is it then? Can't I ask any of hundreds of people who knew my parents?"
Dumbledore was shaking his head. "Most people never knew and those closest to them, as I would like to count myself, would respect their wishes in this."
Harry was concentrating very hard on not shaking with anger. He couldn't be quite sure whether or not he was winning that battle of self-control. In a very controlled speech he asked, "Will I ever be allowed to know what they did?"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that either."
Harry left Dumbledore's office feeling worse than he had in a long time. As he headed back to his bedroom he had no idea that Dumbledore had summoned Sirius to his office.
"What is it Dumbledore?" a worried Sirius asked stepping out of the fireplace.
"I'm afraid the time has come. Harry just left here more than a little upset because I wouldn't tell him what his parents did for a living."
Sirius sighed heavily and dropped himself into a nearby chair. He slumped over, flung his hands into his lap and stared down at his feet. Finally, he made eye contact with his former headmaster. "What do we do?"
"Sirius, you know Lily's and James' wishes as well as I do. They didn't want Harry to know until they were sure that he wouldn't follow in their footsteps unless he wanted to do the same job and not just because both of his parents had chosen it for their paths."
"Yes I know but they couldn't have known what all that boy would have to go through. He knows so little about his family. Hasn't he earned the right to know?"
Dumbledore eyed Sirius carefully before answering. "Sirius, it is precisely because of what all he has gone through that makes me even less inclined to violate Lily and James' wish. That boy carries the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders. If he found out that they were both in the most dangerous jobs offered in our world, do you honestly believe that he would think twice before deciding to follow in their footsteps?"
Sirius remained silent for a few moments. Sitting perfectly still and staring into the fireplace he finally allowed, "I honestly don't know."
"Nor do I Sirius."
"But can you honestly tell me that Harry doesn't deserve to know everything that we can tell him about his parents?"
"No. I'm afraid I can't."
"Then he deserves to be told."
"Sirius, what I honestly can tell you is that I think the pressure James felt to follow in his father's footsteps was the only thing that he truly begrudged his family. Think about this. Let's suppose that Harry would have chosen that job regardless of whether or not he was told about his parents."
Sirius shook his head. "I don't get it. What's your point?"
"If Harry is meant to take their path then he will. But if he takes it because they took it, he'll spend the rest of his life wondering if it was the right choice for him. His childhood and teen years have been so tough; we need to do what we can to ensure he doesn't have any regrets in his adulthood. We owe him that much."
Both wizards sat quietly in the office for a long time lost within their own thoughts. Eventually, Sirius got to his feet. "I'm going to go talk to him."
"Are you going to tell him?"
"I really don't know." And with that, Sirius headed to Gryffindor Tower.
On his way there he ran into the three Weasley brothers on their way back from dinner. He smiled briefly to himself. They were such a close family and he was grateful that the fates had the decency to allow Harry to befriend all of them. He was still trying to think of a way to repay Arthur and Molly for all that they had done for Harry while he was in Azkaban or on the lam.
"Hey Sirius," a merry Ron called waking Sirius from his thoughts.
"Mr Padfoot!" One twin hailed --- Sirius still couldn't tell them apart.
"Hello Mr Padfoot," called the other with good cheer.
Sirius chuckled. "Boys, just call me Sirius or Padfoot. I hardly think that the title 'Mr' properly befits a Marauder, do you?"
Both of the twins were smiling and shaking their heads in response to their idol's question. Sirius welcomed the distraction that the Weasley boys provided on the way to the common room. They talked about some of the pranks the twins had pulled. Sirius was especially interested in hearing how the twins had rescued the Marauder's Map. When they reached Gryffindor Tower, Sirius headed straight for Harry's room and found him sitting by the window.
"Hello Harry."
"Sirius!"
"I hear you have something on your mind. Want to take a quick walk around the school?"
"Definitely."
Godfather and Godson didn't speak again until they passed through the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Come on Harry, let's go to the kitchens. I could use a bite."
Along the way Harry thought several times about starting a conversation but Dumbledore had obviously told Sirius what Harry had asked or Sirius wouldn't have come when he did to take Harry somewhere more private than the bedroom he shared with four other boys. Harry decided to let his Godfather make the first move.
As usual, the house elves practically fell all over themselves delighted with the opportunity to serve Harry and his guest. When they settled down at a table with pasties and pumpkin juice Harry sat there waiting for his Godfather to begin speaking --- which he finally did.
"Aren't you hungry?"
"A little but I'm much more interested in what you have to tell me."
Sirius sighed again as he put down his half-eaten pasty. He was trying to figure out where and how to begin.
Harry interrupted his thoughts, "Are you going to tell me?"
Sirius looked into his Godson's eyes. He held his gaze for a few moments before answering, "I don't know."
Harry wasn't sure what he was expecting to hear but this wasn't it. On the other hand, he had to admit that Sirius was being straight forward with him. "What do you mean that you don't know?"
"Harry, I have to be honest. I'm not sure what the right thing to do is. I know that every child has a right to know about his or her parents and that's even truer for you. However, you have to understand the position that puts me in. I know, without a doubt, that your parents didn't want you to know until they were sure about a few things."
"What things?"
"Basically, they wanted to be sure that you wouldn't choose the same job they did just to follow in their footsteps. Honestly, if you weren't dead set on a career, they didn't plan on telling you at all until you graduated and had plans of your own."
"What?"
"I'm telling you the truth. Before you were ever born they worried about this."
"Why?"
"I was afraid you would ask me that." Sirius paused but continued after a moment when Harry didn't interrupt him. "You see, that's what happened to your father. He chose his job just because it was what his father did and he didn't want to do that to you."
"He didn't like his job?"
"I never said that. James might have chosen the same profession as his father but the point was, he never felt that he had a real choice. He and Lily were adamant that they would never do that to their children."
"But Sirius, I won't choose the same job just because they did it. I just want to know something about my parents. I know so very little about them."
"Harry, it's not that simple. Can you tell me for sure that knowing won't influence your decision at all? Of course you can't --- it's impossible and that's the problem."
"Sirius, you have to tell me."
"And I will Harry but just not quite yet."
"Sirius --- "
"Harry, listen to me. You need time to think about this. Think about what they wanted. You need to be able to honestly tell me, and more importantly tell yourself, that you won't let this affect your choices. You'll know soon enough. Is it really so important that you know now if it goes against their wishes?"
Sirius had stopped talking and waited for Harry to say something, which he didn't. For his part, Harry was caught up in a mixture of emotions. On the one hand he was angry and frustrated that he knew so little about his parents. On the other hand, if this really was his parents' wish, he didn't want to jeopardize impartially choosing his career.
"Fine, I'll think about it."
The relief that flooded across Sirius' face was impossible to miss. He released a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank you." They spent some time discussing their new house before Sirius declared that it was getting late.
Sirius walked Harry back to his common room and then went to tell Dumbledore about their conversation. Sirius couldn't be sure, but he thought Dumbledore might have been a little disappointed that he hadn't told Harry what Lily and James did for a living.
Harry had gone straight up to his bedroom to try to get some sleep before the drudgery of Monday classes. He was trying to decide whether or not to tell Ron and Hermione about this new development when he finally drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately, it wasn't a dreamless sleep.
All that he could be sure of was that they were indoors, but he didn't recognize the area at all. Voldemort and his snake were alone in the large, dark room for a few seconds until a Death Eater who Harry didn't immediately recognize entered the room tentatively.
"My --- M ---- My Lord," spoke the Death Eater who was now on his knees.
"Speak."
The Death Eater rose to his feet as he started to speak.
"Crucio!"
The Death Eater was writhing on the ground. His screams were deafening. His agony was obvious. Voldemort laughed a terrible laugh. "You young Death Eaters need to learn your place. I did not tell you to rise. You will learn." Voldemort laughed again.
Harry's dream self was concentrating harder than ever on recognizing the Death Eater that Voldemort had referred to as "young". He wanted desperately to be sure that it wasn't a Hogwart's student.
Voldemort spoke again. "Tell me your news."
The figure thrashing about on the ground was obviously unable to speak. Voldemort either didn't know this or, more likely, didn't care. Finally, the Dark Lord removed the Cruciatus Curse from his loyal servant. There was no mistaking the smile on his painfully thin lips. He obviously enjoyed torturing his followers as much as he enjoyed tormenting everyone else.
"I told you to tell me your news."
The Death Eater was gasping for breath but he was obviously too scared not to try to speak. "M --- M --- My --- L--- Lord --- "
The high-pitched voice cut in. "I said speak! I can't understand this drivel. Perhaps you need another reminder of how I treat disobedience." Voldemort raised his wand.
The figure on the ground was fervently shaking his head. "No. Please no My Lord."
"Then tell me your news."
"My Lord, the Dementors are getting restless. As you know, a few abandoned our --- your --- worthy cause. But some of the others are starting to try to feed on our own."
An unmistakable high-pitched voice answered, "Their time will come soon enough. My Death Eater at Hogwarts tells me that the time is near. Now, tell the Lestranges that I wish to see them."
"Yes My Lord." The Death Eater crawled slowly backward on his knees out of the room.
For the next minute or two of Harry's dream all he saw was Voldemort watching Nagini slither around the large room. Harry was sure that he was speaking to the snake but he couldn't make out the words.
"You summoned us My Lord?" said two new figures that entered the room.
"Yes. I've been saving a special job for you two who never disavowed me." Voldemort muttered a spell. The two Death Eaters didn't even cringe in anticipation. Harry was amazed to see that the only effect of the spell was to outfit the couple with what was obviously magical jewelry from top to bottom. Harry couldn't even begin to imagine the power he had just bestowed on the two Death Eaters.
"Thank you My Lord. What may we do in your service?"
"The Death Eater at Hogwarts tells me that our time is approaching. You two will devise a plan to kidnap a decoy --- one of the school's professors. I have faith in your planning abilities. I know you have been thinking of such things for many years. You have two weeks to tell me your plan."
"Yes My Lord."
As they started to back away, they were given one more instruction.
"And keep up with your Muggle sports. It amuses me."
With an eerie grin they both responded, "Yes My Lord."
Harry woke up screaming and clutching at his burning scar.
"Wha --- what is it?" Seamus called from behind his closed curtains.
All the fifth year Gryffindor boys were now wide-awake. Ron was the first to reach Harry's bed and draw back his curtains. Neville wasn't the only one trembling slightly when they saw Harry, drenched in sweat, lying in a fetal position, with both hands pressed tightly to his head. It was a terrifying sight.
"Harry, what's wrong?" a pasty white faced Dean asked.
"Nothing."
"Come on Harry," Ron prodded. "This isn't normal. We know something happened."
"Nothing. I just --- I just had a nightmare. Sorry if I woke everyone."
"If you're sure," Neville began tentatively.
"I'm sure. What time is it?"
"It's almost four," Dean answered after glancing at his watch.
"I'm fine. Let's just try to get back to sleep."
The boys didn't move. Harry spent a few moments trying to control his breathing before he urged them back to bed again. Dean, Seamus, and Neville went back to their beds. Ron, however, sat down on Harry's bed.
"Harry, I have some idea what just happened. You might as well tell me."
Harry stayed silent. Ron couldn't know that he was trying desperately to remember the details from his dream.
"Harry, you at least need to tell Dumbledore." Catching the look in his friend's eyes he quickly added, "Or even tell Sirius."
"No. Just forget about it."
"Harry, be reasonable. This is important."
"Maybe I'll quit keeping secrets from them after they stop keeping secrets from me." With that, Harry rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Eventually, Ron went back to his own bed.
The next morning's breakfast brought two very distinct but deep conversations at the Gryffindor table. In one area Harry, Ron and Hermione were huddled together with Harry telling his two best friends about yesterday's conversations with Sirius and Dumbledore concerning his parents and their chosen profession.
In another area, Fred and George were deep in their own conversation.
"Fred, it's already March. We have less than four months left to pull it off."
"George, you know I love a good prank as much as the next bloke. But do you remember the last time we tried it? Do you have any recollection at all of barely escaping from the dungeon with our lives? I think Snape was on to us too!"
"Snape shmape!"
"George, I want to graduate! Besides, I think we did everything right last time we cast the spell. I think that the castle itself stopped us from pulling it off."
"Fred, don't be daft. With all of its secrets, the castle would love it if we could pull this off."
"Well I don't know."
George smiled; he knew that Fred was going to give in now. "We have to go out on top. Are you a wizard or a mouse?"
Now Fred was grinning too. "All right. We'll try again during our next potions class."
The day's classes went smoothly enough. If it was possible though, Hermione was taking more notes and studying harder than ever before. Harry and Ron never knew if a simple "All right" directed towards Hermione would be returned with a smile, a frown, tears, a five minute lecture, or shouting. Fortunately whenever Ron and Harry were tired of dealing with Hermione, such as on this particular evening, all they had to do was avoid the library.
This evening Ron and Harry were passing alternating between Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess. Harry was tired of talking about what his parents might have done for a living and he just wanted to take his mind off of it. Neither of the two friends noticed the twins' mysterious absence.
"Fred, we didn't make any mistakes last time. What do we do differently tomorrow?"
"Nothing George. You know how complicated this spell is. Maybe we said one syllable wrong or maybe you coughed --- "
"I did not!"
"So let's just do the exact same spell the exact same way. I'm just not sure about doing it during class. It narrows down the possible suspects too much for my liking."
"Nah, you'll see, it'll work. They wouldn't think we'd be so stupid as to do it in class. Besides, Lee's all set to provide the distraction tomorrow."
Breakfast the next day was a quieter affair than it had been the previous day. Harry was talked out. On top of that Hermione was on edge making Ron and Harry nearly afraid to speak. Sitting next to them, Fred and George didn't want to attract any attention to them. Mostly, the older Gryffindors were sitting around poking at their breakfasts. Hermione stood and curtly announced that it was time to leave before they were all late for their first class.
Fred and George were only concerned about their second class of the day but nonetheless; they too got up and went to class.
Finally, the twins found themselves sitting in Potions waiting for Lee to do his part. They didn't have to wait long. Shortly after Snape made them start brewing the day's potion, Lee's cauldron boiled over. This had the predictable effect of making the Potions Master rush to Lee's side to properly berate the Gryffindor in front of everyone.
Fred and George were practically at the other end of the room waiting for this signal. Everyone was watching Snape yell at Lee so no one saw the Weasley twins cast their spell.
When class ended, a dejected Fred, George and Lee made their way to the Great Hall.
"Nothing happened."
"Thanks Lee. I didn't notice that before you pointed it out."
"Come on Fred. Don't take it out on him."
"You're right. But I still can't believe that it didn't work."
But it did.
A/N -Share your thoughts with me
A/N - FYI - I don't usually respond individually to reviews b/c I hate it when I read a story that I think is 110,000 words to find out that one third of it is Author's Notes. If anyone wants a specific question answered, just tell me. Sako - I didn't spell it out exactly like I should have. I tried to imply it by making his first lesson such a successful one.
Chapter 48
Difficult Dilemma
Both wizards sat in Dumbledore's office waiting for the other to speak next. Harry couldn't quite read the expression in his headmaster's eyes. The question obviously surprised him. Harry wasn't sure why Dumbledore was so taken aback after all, to Harry the real shock was that he hadn't thought to ask earlier about how his parents made their living.
Harry was willing himself to sit still in his chair. He very much wanted to squirm under the scrutiny of the headmaster's gaze. He wished the older wizard would look away but Harry wouldn't back down, he hadn't asked anything he didn't have a right to know. Harry sat there silently, but not necessarily patiently. That nagging feeling from earlier in the year returned --- they were still treating him like a child and hiding things from him --- and it made him mad.
Finally Dumbledore began speaking. "Harry, this is an extremely difficult subject."
Even though he didn't understand why it was a difficult subject, he was determined to remain silent. He didn't want to aid the headmaster in going off on a tangent. He wanted an answer to his question.
"You see your parents didn't want you to know."
Harry couldn't repress his question this time. "What?"
"Even when your mother was still carrying you, both your parents were very adamant that you not follow in their footsteps just because it was their footsteps. I can only imagine how that sounds but that very thing happened to your father and both he and Lily were very determined that it wouldn't happen to you. Harry, I'm sorry if you're angry because you think you should know but I don't feel that it's my place to tell you."
"Not your place --- ??? Whose place is it then? Can't I ask any of hundreds of people who knew my parents?"
Dumbledore was shaking his head. "Most people never knew and those closest to them, as I would like to count myself, would respect their wishes in this."
Harry was concentrating very hard on not shaking with anger. He couldn't be quite sure whether or not he was winning that battle of self-control. In a very controlled speech he asked, "Will I ever be allowed to know what they did?"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that either."
Harry left Dumbledore's office feeling worse than he had in a long time. As he headed back to his bedroom he had no idea that Dumbledore had summoned Sirius to his office.
"What is it Dumbledore?" a worried Sirius asked stepping out of the fireplace.
"I'm afraid the time has come. Harry just left here more than a little upset because I wouldn't tell him what his parents did for a living."
Sirius sighed heavily and dropped himself into a nearby chair. He slumped over, flung his hands into his lap and stared down at his feet. Finally, he made eye contact with his former headmaster. "What do we do?"
"Sirius, you know Lily's and James' wishes as well as I do. They didn't want Harry to know until they were sure that he wouldn't follow in their footsteps unless he wanted to do the same job and not just because both of his parents had chosen it for their paths."
"Yes I know but they couldn't have known what all that boy would have to go through. He knows so little about his family. Hasn't he earned the right to know?"
Dumbledore eyed Sirius carefully before answering. "Sirius, it is precisely because of what all he has gone through that makes me even less inclined to violate Lily and James' wish. That boy carries the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders. If he found out that they were both in the most dangerous jobs offered in our world, do you honestly believe that he would think twice before deciding to follow in their footsteps?"
Sirius remained silent for a few moments. Sitting perfectly still and staring into the fireplace he finally allowed, "I honestly don't know."
"Nor do I Sirius."
"But can you honestly tell me that Harry doesn't deserve to know everything that we can tell him about his parents?"
"No. I'm afraid I can't."
"Then he deserves to be told."
"Sirius, what I honestly can tell you is that I think the pressure James felt to follow in his father's footsteps was the only thing that he truly begrudged his family. Think about this. Let's suppose that Harry would have chosen that job regardless of whether or not he was told about his parents."
Sirius shook his head. "I don't get it. What's your point?"
"If Harry is meant to take their path then he will. But if he takes it because they took it, he'll spend the rest of his life wondering if it was the right choice for him. His childhood and teen years have been so tough; we need to do what we can to ensure he doesn't have any regrets in his adulthood. We owe him that much."
Both wizards sat quietly in the office for a long time lost within their own thoughts. Eventually, Sirius got to his feet. "I'm going to go talk to him."
"Are you going to tell him?"
"I really don't know." And with that, Sirius headed to Gryffindor Tower.
On his way there he ran into the three Weasley brothers on their way back from dinner. He smiled briefly to himself. They were such a close family and he was grateful that the fates had the decency to allow Harry to befriend all of them. He was still trying to think of a way to repay Arthur and Molly for all that they had done for Harry while he was in Azkaban or on the lam.
"Hey Sirius," a merry Ron called waking Sirius from his thoughts.
"Mr Padfoot!" One twin hailed --- Sirius still couldn't tell them apart.
"Hello Mr Padfoot," called the other with good cheer.
Sirius chuckled. "Boys, just call me Sirius or Padfoot. I hardly think that the title 'Mr' properly befits a Marauder, do you?"
Both of the twins were smiling and shaking their heads in response to their idol's question. Sirius welcomed the distraction that the Weasley boys provided on the way to the common room. They talked about some of the pranks the twins had pulled. Sirius was especially interested in hearing how the twins had rescued the Marauder's Map. When they reached Gryffindor Tower, Sirius headed straight for Harry's room and found him sitting by the window.
"Hello Harry."
"Sirius!"
"I hear you have something on your mind. Want to take a quick walk around the school?"
"Definitely."
Godfather and Godson didn't speak again until they passed through the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Come on Harry, let's go to the kitchens. I could use a bite."
Along the way Harry thought several times about starting a conversation but Dumbledore had obviously told Sirius what Harry had asked or Sirius wouldn't have come when he did to take Harry somewhere more private than the bedroom he shared with four other boys. Harry decided to let his Godfather make the first move.
As usual, the house elves practically fell all over themselves delighted with the opportunity to serve Harry and his guest. When they settled down at a table with pasties and pumpkin juice Harry sat there waiting for his Godfather to begin speaking --- which he finally did.
"Aren't you hungry?"
"A little but I'm much more interested in what you have to tell me."
Sirius sighed again as he put down his half-eaten pasty. He was trying to figure out where and how to begin.
Harry interrupted his thoughts, "Are you going to tell me?"
Sirius looked into his Godson's eyes. He held his gaze for a few moments before answering, "I don't know."
Harry wasn't sure what he was expecting to hear but this wasn't it. On the other hand, he had to admit that Sirius was being straight forward with him. "What do you mean that you don't know?"
"Harry, I have to be honest. I'm not sure what the right thing to do is. I know that every child has a right to know about his or her parents and that's even truer for you. However, you have to understand the position that puts me in. I know, without a doubt, that your parents didn't want you to know until they were sure about a few things."
"What things?"
"Basically, they wanted to be sure that you wouldn't choose the same job they did just to follow in their footsteps. Honestly, if you weren't dead set on a career, they didn't plan on telling you at all until you graduated and had plans of your own."
"What?"
"I'm telling you the truth. Before you were ever born they worried about this."
"Why?"
"I was afraid you would ask me that." Sirius paused but continued after a moment when Harry didn't interrupt him. "You see, that's what happened to your father. He chose his job just because it was what his father did and he didn't want to do that to you."
"He didn't like his job?"
"I never said that. James might have chosen the same profession as his father but the point was, he never felt that he had a real choice. He and Lily were adamant that they would never do that to their children."
"But Sirius, I won't choose the same job just because they did it. I just want to know something about my parents. I know so very little about them."
"Harry, it's not that simple. Can you tell me for sure that knowing won't influence your decision at all? Of course you can't --- it's impossible and that's the problem."
"Sirius, you have to tell me."
"And I will Harry but just not quite yet."
"Sirius --- "
"Harry, listen to me. You need time to think about this. Think about what they wanted. You need to be able to honestly tell me, and more importantly tell yourself, that you won't let this affect your choices. You'll know soon enough. Is it really so important that you know now if it goes against their wishes?"
Sirius had stopped talking and waited for Harry to say something, which he didn't. For his part, Harry was caught up in a mixture of emotions. On the one hand he was angry and frustrated that he knew so little about his parents. On the other hand, if this really was his parents' wish, he didn't want to jeopardize impartially choosing his career.
"Fine, I'll think about it."
The relief that flooded across Sirius' face was impossible to miss. He released a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank you." They spent some time discussing their new house before Sirius declared that it was getting late.
Sirius walked Harry back to his common room and then went to tell Dumbledore about their conversation. Sirius couldn't be sure, but he thought Dumbledore might have been a little disappointed that he hadn't told Harry what Lily and James did for a living.
Harry had gone straight up to his bedroom to try to get some sleep before the drudgery of Monday classes. He was trying to decide whether or not to tell Ron and Hermione about this new development when he finally drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately, it wasn't a dreamless sleep.
All that he could be sure of was that they were indoors, but he didn't recognize the area at all. Voldemort and his snake were alone in the large, dark room for a few seconds until a Death Eater who Harry didn't immediately recognize entered the room tentatively.
"My --- M ---- My Lord," spoke the Death Eater who was now on his knees.
"Speak."
The Death Eater rose to his feet as he started to speak.
"Crucio!"
The Death Eater was writhing on the ground. His screams were deafening. His agony was obvious. Voldemort laughed a terrible laugh. "You young Death Eaters need to learn your place. I did not tell you to rise. You will learn." Voldemort laughed again.
Harry's dream self was concentrating harder than ever on recognizing the Death Eater that Voldemort had referred to as "young". He wanted desperately to be sure that it wasn't a Hogwart's student.
Voldemort spoke again. "Tell me your news."
The figure thrashing about on the ground was obviously unable to speak. Voldemort either didn't know this or, more likely, didn't care. Finally, the Dark Lord removed the Cruciatus Curse from his loyal servant. There was no mistaking the smile on his painfully thin lips. He obviously enjoyed torturing his followers as much as he enjoyed tormenting everyone else.
"I told you to tell me your news."
The Death Eater was gasping for breath but he was obviously too scared not to try to speak. "M --- M --- My --- L--- Lord --- "
The high-pitched voice cut in. "I said speak! I can't understand this drivel. Perhaps you need another reminder of how I treat disobedience." Voldemort raised his wand.
The figure on the ground was fervently shaking his head. "No. Please no My Lord."
"Then tell me your news."
"My Lord, the Dementors are getting restless. As you know, a few abandoned our --- your --- worthy cause. But some of the others are starting to try to feed on our own."
An unmistakable high-pitched voice answered, "Their time will come soon enough. My Death Eater at Hogwarts tells me that the time is near. Now, tell the Lestranges that I wish to see them."
"Yes My Lord." The Death Eater crawled slowly backward on his knees out of the room.
For the next minute or two of Harry's dream all he saw was Voldemort watching Nagini slither around the large room. Harry was sure that he was speaking to the snake but he couldn't make out the words.
"You summoned us My Lord?" said two new figures that entered the room.
"Yes. I've been saving a special job for you two who never disavowed me." Voldemort muttered a spell. The two Death Eaters didn't even cringe in anticipation. Harry was amazed to see that the only effect of the spell was to outfit the couple with what was obviously magical jewelry from top to bottom. Harry couldn't even begin to imagine the power he had just bestowed on the two Death Eaters.
"Thank you My Lord. What may we do in your service?"
"The Death Eater at Hogwarts tells me that our time is approaching. You two will devise a plan to kidnap a decoy --- one of the school's professors. I have faith in your planning abilities. I know you have been thinking of such things for many years. You have two weeks to tell me your plan."
"Yes My Lord."
As they started to back away, they were given one more instruction.
"And keep up with your Muggle sports. It amuses me."
With an eerie grin they both responded, "Yes My Lord."
Harry woke up screaming and clutching at his burning scar.
"Wha --- what is it?" Seamus called from behind his closed curtains.
All the fifth year Gryffindor boys were now wide-awake. Ron was the first to reach Harry's bed and draw back his curtains. Neville wasn't the only one trembling slightly when they saw Harry, drenched in sweat, lying in a fetal position, with both hands pressed tightly to his head. It was a terrifying sight.
"Harry, what's wrong?" a pasty white faced Dean asked.
"Nothing."
"Come on Harry," Ron prodded. "This isn't normal. We know something happened."
"Nothing. I just --- I just had a nightmare. Sorry if I woke everyone."
"If you're sure," Neville began tentatively.
"I'm sure. What time is it?"
"It's almost four," Dean answered after glancing at his watch.
"I'm fine. Let's just try to get back to sleep."
The boys didn't move. Harry spent a few moments trying to control his breathing before he urged them back to bed again. Dean, Seamus, and Neville went back to their beds. Ron, however, sat down on Harry's bed.
"Harry, I have some idea what just happened. You might as well tell me."
Harry stayed silent. Ron couldn't know that he was trying desperately to remember the details from his dream.
"Harry, you at least need to tell Dumbledore." Catching the look in his friend's eyes he quickly added, "Or even tell Sirius."
"No. Just forget about it."
"Harry, be reasonable. This is important."
"Maybe I'll quit keeping secrets from them after they stop keeping secrets from me." With that, Harry rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Eventually, Ron went back to his own bed.
The next morning's breakfast brought two very distinct but deep conversations at the Gryffindor table. In one area Harry, Ron and Hermione were huddled together with Harry telling his two best friends about yesterday's conversations with Sirius and Dumbledore concerning his parents and their chosen profession.
In another area, Fred and George were deep in their own conversation.
"Fred, it's already March. We have less than four months left to pull it off."
"George, you know I love a good prank as much as the next bloke. But do you remember the last time we tried it? Do you have any recollection at all of barely escaping from the dungeon with our lives? I think Snape was on to us too!"
"Snape shmape!"
"George, I want to graduate! Besides, I think we did everything right last time we cast the spell. I think that the castle itself stopped us from pulling it off."
"Fred, don't be daft. With all of its secrets, the castle would love it if we could pull this off."
"Well I don't know."
George smiled; he knew that Fred was going to give in now. "We have to go out on top. Are you a wizard or a mouse?"
Now Fred was grinning too. "All right. We'll try again during our next potions class."
The day's classes went smoothly enough. If it was possible though, Hermione was taking more notes and studying harder than ever before. Harry and Ron never knew if a simple "All right" directed towards Hermione would be returned with a smile, a frown, tears, a five minute lecture, or shouting. Fortunately whenever Ron and Harry were tired of dealing with Hermione, such as on this particular evening, all they had to do was avoid the library.
This evening Ron and Harry were passing alternating between Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess. Harry was tired of talking about what his parents might have done for a living and he just wanted to take his mind off of it. Neither of the two friends noticed the twins' mysterious absence.
"Fred, we didn't make any mistakes last time. What do we do differently tomorrow?"
"Nothing George. You know how complicated this spell is. Maybe we said one syllable wrong or maybe you coughed --- "
"I did not!"
"So let's just do the exact same spell the exact same way. I'm just not sure about doing it during class. It narrows down the possible suspects too much for my liking."
"Nah, you'll see, it'll work. They wouldn't think we'd be so stupid as to do it in class. Besides, Lee's all set to provide the distraction tomorrow."
Breakfast the next day was a quieter affair than it had been the previous day. Harry was talked out. On top of that Hermione was on edge making Ron and Harry nearly afraid to speak. Sitting next to them, Fred and George didn't want to attract any attention to them. Mostly, the older Gryffindors were sitting around poking at their breakfasts. Hermione stood and curtly announced that it was time to leave before they were all late for their first class.
Fred and George were only concerned about their second class of the day but nonetheless; they too got up and went to class.
Finally, the twins found themselves sitting in Potions waiting for Lee to do his part. They didn't have to wait long. Shortly after Snape made them start brewing the day's potion, Lee's cauldron boiled over. This had the predictable effect of making the Potions Master rush to Lee's side to properly berate the Gryffindor in front of everyone.
Fred and George were practically at the other end of the room waiting for this signal. Everyone was watching Snape yell at Lee so no one saw the Weasley twins cast their spell.
When class ended, a dejected Fred, George and Lee made their way to the Great Hall.
"Nothing happened."
"Thanks Lee. I didn't notice that before you pointed it out."
"Come on Fred. Don't take it out on him."
"You're right. But I still can't believe that it didn't work."
But it did.
A/N -Share your thoughts with me