Harry Potter and the Icons of Myth
By: souls
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: Warning there may be slight "Order of the Phoenix" spoilers in the following chapters. I apologize beforehand to those who think that Sirius and others are acting out of character. I'm not J. K. Rowling. I hope you enjoy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
.Harry Potter and the Icons of Myth
Chapter 18: Sorrow and Secrets
Things around the Weasley household were very sober. The first few months were terrible. Ginny cried constantly. She couldn't believe that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were gone. Even the loss of Draco Malfoy was weighing heavily on her mind. There had been no bodies to be seen and nothing to mourn. It just hurt.a dull ache in the heart.
Her mum almost broke her heart as she forgot that her youngest son could not join them for dinner. She burst into tears as she realized she was scolding empty air and calling a son who could not hear her. Ginny and the twins had to comfort their mother.
Fred and George decided to finish school early at least that's what they said they just didn't want to go back. They had gotten their requisite number of O.W.L's. No one could blame them for not wanting to go back. There were too many memories there of Ron, Hermione and Harry. They'd found an outlet for their grief by throwing themselves into their work. That is why their business was doing really well. Every morning they'd apparate to Diagon Alley and wouldn't return until much later in the evening.
Ginny dreaded going back to Hogwarts more so than Fred and George did. All they'd found of Ron during the search had been the charred remains of his wand. Ginny choked up and tears threatened to pour down her face. A knock on her door broke her downward spiral into depression.
"Come in." Bill opened the door and walked over to where Ginny was laying. Every time he'd come by the room she'd be in the same spot, laying on the floor staring up at the ceiling trying to hide her tears.
"This just came for you." Bill handed her a letter from Hogwarts. She took it from him and tossed it by her school trunk where it hit with a light thump. "Ginny, how bout we go for a ride? You can't stay in this room by yourself all summer." His eyes were begging her to come and join him.
After several minutes of begging, she finally agreed to go if he'd leave her alone afterwards. They walked out of the Burrow and into the shed where Bill had stashed his old broomsticks. 'Maybe this will cheer her up.' He thought 'She'd always loved flying with me. I hope it'll take her mind off of Harry and the others for a while. I still can't believe that Sirius and Professor McGonnagel think it's a good idea to leave everyone in the dark. I guess I've got to trust them. Dumbledore left the two in charge of the Order.'
Ginny passed by him nudging him aside. The barest traces of a smile crept across her face.
~*~
-Diagon Alley
Crowds parted giving Sirius a wide birth. Months earlier Peter Pettigrew had not only been found alive but at the scene of a major Death Eater attack. The Ministry had formally cleared Sirius of all charges. Although that didn't stopped people from being wary of him. He was used to people acting this way. Even before he was sent to Azkaban he'd gotten the reputation of being a dangerous person. Hit wizards usually make that kind of name for themselves, especially when they're a hair's breath away from being on the wrong side of the law.
He just ignored them and made his way to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley-- the home of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. The bell above the door jingled as Sirius stepped into the shop. The shop was crammed floor to ceiling with a large assortment of novelties. Customers sidestepped letting Sirius pass them by.
"Padfoot!" Fred shouted from behind the counter. "How've you been?"
"I've been doing good. How are you?"
"Business seems is booming." George replied.
"Good.That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Is there somewhere we can speak privately?"
"Sure thing." They motioned him towards the stock room. Sirius took a seat and looked on as George placed a palm sized stone on the table. He touched it and it began to change colors. When it turned red he touched it again. "Alright we can talk now. So what's this about, Sirius?"
"What'd you just do?" Sirius asked as he pointed to the stone on the table.
"Oh.that. That is just one of our newest Wheezes. It's almost ready to be put out on the market. We call it a Babble Stone. It's been very handy. Right now it's sending out magical background noise so that no one can eavesdrop in on our conversation." Fred said as in the next breath George continued.
"When it's red it puts out background noise and doesn't let anyone eavesdrop. If you touch it when it's blue you can keep a person from speaking or hearing. It's good for a gag. But you didn't come hear to talk shop did you?"
"In a way I did. I've come to contract you for a job and induct you into the Order. Your skills could be a real asset to the Order. You'd also be compensated for your part. What do you think, guys?"
"It sounds interesting."
"There are a few things you need to know." Sirius looked a bit nervous as he spoke to them.
"What's that?" Fred asked. He narrowed his eyes at the man before him.
"Three things: First that no one is to know of your involvement in the Order especially your parents. I want you to be able to do whatever needs to be done. Arthur just became Minister he doesn't need suspicion to cloud his office. And knowledge of a clandestine order acting outside Ministry boundaries will not help his chances of staying in office.
Second that you begin making plans to open a second store in Hogsmeade. We'll need to have another spot close to Hogwarts ready just in case something happens."
"Sirius, the shop is doing good but we haven't pulled down the galleons to make that big a leap."
Sirius pulls out a bag of galleons and lays it on the table. "This should be enough. The third thing is a big one. We have reason to believe that Harry and the others are still alive."
"WHAT.THEY'RE ALIVE!?" They both said their voices echoing in the small room. If the Babble Stone hadn't been there the entire store as well as everyone in Diagon Alley would have heard them.
"Yes and it is very important that no one else finds out. Voldemort doesn't know they're out there and if he finds out he will hunt them all down like animals. We have to be real quiet and real careful in our search for them so we don't tip off Voldemort. Now I must have your decision. Are you in or are you out?"
They gave him a grave look before saying, "In." He shook their hands slipping them a note as he left the shop.
~*~
TBC
---------------------------------------- [A/N: Read and Review.]
By: souls
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: Warning there may be slight "Order of the Phoenix" spoilers in the following chapters. I apologize beforehand to those who think that Sirius and others are acting out of character. I'm not J. K. Rowling. I hope you enjoy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
.Harry Potter and the Icons of Myth
Chapter 18: Sorrow and Secrets
Things around the Weasley household were very sober. The first few months were terrible. Ginny cried constantly. She couldn't believe that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were gone. Even the loss of Draco Malfoy was weighing heavily on her mind. There had been no bodies to be seen and nothing to mourn. It just hurt.a dull ache in the heart.
Her mum almost broke her heart as she forgot that her youngest son could not join them for dinner. She burst into tears as she realized she was scolding empty air and calling a son who could not hear her. Ginny and the twins had to comfort their mother.
Fred and George decided to finish school early at least that's what they said they just didn't want to go back. They had gotten their requisite number of O.W.L's. No one could blame them for not wanting to go back. There were too many memories there of Ron, Hermione and Harry. They'd found an outlet for their grief by throwing themselves into their work. That is why their business was doing really well. Every morning they'd apparate to Diagon Alley and wouldn't return until much later in the evening.
Ginny dreaded going back to Hogwarts more so than Fred and George did. All they'd found of Ron during the search had been the charred remains of his wand. Ginny choked up and tears threatened to pour down her face. A knock on her door broke her downward spiral into depression.
"Come in." Bill opened the door and walked over to where Ginny was laying. Every time he'd come by the room she'd be in the same spot, laying on the floor staring up at the ceiling trying to hide her tears.
"This just came for you." Bill handed her a letter from Hogwarts. She took it from him and tossed it by her school trunk where it hit with a light thump. "Ginny, how bout we go for a ride? You can't stay in this room by yourself all summer." His eyes were begging her to come and join him.
After several minutes of begging, she finally agreed to go if he'd leave her alone afterwards. They walked out of the Burrow and into the shed where Bill had stashed his old broomsticks. 'Maybe this will cheer her up.' He thought 'She'd always loved flying with me. I hope it'll take her mind off of Harry and the others for a while. I still can't believe that Sirius and Professor McGonnagel think it's a good idea to leave everyone in the dark. I guess I've got to trust them. Dumbledore left the two in charge of the Order.'
Ginny passed by him nudging him aside. The barest traces of a smile crept across her face.
~*~
-Diagon Alley
Crowds parted giving Sirius a wide birth. Months earlier Peter Pettigrew had not only been found alive but at the scene of a major Death Eater attack. The Ministry had formally cleared Sirius of all charges. Although that didn't stopped people from being wary of him. He was used to people acting this way. Even before he was sent to Azkaban he'd gotten the reputation of being a dangerous person. Hit wizards usually make that kind of name for themselves, especially when they're a hair's breath away from being on the wrong side of the law.
He just ignored them and made his way to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley-- the home of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. The bell above the door jingled as Sirius stepped into the shop. The shop was crammed floor to ceiling with a large assortment of novelties. Customers sidestepped letting Sirius pass them by.
"Padfoot!" Fred shouted from behind the counter. "How've you been?"
"I've been doing good. How are you?"
"Business seems is booming." George replied.
"Good.That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Is there somewhere we can speak privately?"
"Sure thing." They motioned him towards the stock room. Sirius took a seat and looked on as George placed a palm sized stone on the table. He touched it and it began to change colors. When it turned red he touched it again. "Alright we can talk now. So what's this about, Sirius?"
"What'd you just do?" Sirius asked as he pointed to the stone on the table.
"Oh.that. That is just one of our newest Wheezes. It's almost ready to be put out on the market. We call it a Babble Stone. It's been very handy. Right now it's sending out magical background noise so that no one can eavesdrop in on our conversation." Fred said as in the next breath George continued.
"When it's red it puts out background noise and doesn't let anyone eavesdrop. If you touch it when it's blue you can keep a person from speaking or hearing. It's good for a gag. But you didn't come hear to talk shop did you?"
"In a way I did. I've come to contract you for a job and induct you into the Order. Your skills could be a real asset to the Order. You'd also be compensated for your part. What do you think, guys?"
"It sounds interesting."
"There are a few things you need to know." Sirius looked a bit nervous as he spoke to them.
"What's that?" Fred asked. He narrowed his eyes at the man before him.
"Three things: First that no one is to know of your involvement in the Order especially your parents. I want you to be able to do whatever needs to be done. Arthur just became Minister he doesn't need suspicion to cloud his office. And knowledge of a clandestine order acting outside Ministry boundaries will not help his chances of staying in office.
Second that you begin making plans to open a second store in Hogsmeade. We'll need to have another spot close to Hogwarts ready just in case something happens."
"Sirius, the shop is doing good but we haven't pulled down the galleons to make that big a leap."
Sirius pulls out a bag of galleons and lays it on the table. "This should be enough. The third thing is a big one. We have reason to believe that Harry and the others are still alive."
"WHAT.THEY'RE ALIVE!?" They both said their voices echoing in the small room. If the Babble Stone hadn't been there the entire store as well as everyone in Diagon Alley would have heard them.
"Yes and it is very important that no one else finds out. Voldemort doesn't know they're out there and if he finds out he will hunt them all down like animals. We have to be real quiet and real careful in our search for them so we don't tip off Voldemort. Now I must have your decision. Are you in or are you out?"
They gave him a grave look before saying, "In." He shook their hands slipping them a note as he left the shop.
~*~
TBC
---------------------------------------- [A/N: Read and Review.]