Inner Strength,
Outer Battles
A Post Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter Fanfiction by LifesLikeThat
Chapter One – A Normal Day at The Burrow
It was a hot summer's day when 15-year-old Ginny Weasley returned home for
the first time in well over a year. The self-confident young redhead had
just finished her fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry, for Ginny was a witch just as every other member of her family
was magical. However, she had not spent the majority of the previous
summer at home.
Molly and Arthur Weasley, Ginny's parents, were members of the Order of the
Phoenix. The Order was an organisation set up by Albus Dumbledore, the
headmaster of Hogwarts, to fight against Voldemort, the dark wizard who was
currently trying to take over both the wizarding and Muggle (non-magical)
world's, who had just regained his body after fifteen years. Up until very
recently the British Ministry of Magic had denied that Voldemort had been
reborn and so the Order had been top-secret and for that reason all of the
school age Weasley children along with their parents and oldest brother,
Bill, had spent the previous summer at 12 Grimmauld Place, London – the
Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Shortly before the end of the
school year though, thanks to the efforts of Harry Potter and five of his
friends including Ginny and her brother Ron, the Ministry had been forced
to accept that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named really was back and plans had been
made to fight him openly.
Even though Ginny was very pleased to be home again at last a small part of
her wished that it hadn't come at such a price. The six of them had set
off on what they thought was a rescue mission and ended up falling in a
trap set to capture Harry Potter and force him to hand over a prophecy from
within the Department of Mysteries to the death eaters. They had all been
injured in the attack although the training Harry had given them as members
of the DA (Dumbledore's Army, the secret defence against the dark arts
group he had formed) had meant that they had put up a good fight. It had
seemed as though they would lose that fight though until several members of
the Order of the Phoenix had arrived.
The Order members had taken over the fight and eventually with the arrival
of Albus Dumbledore had managed to capture all of the death eaters.
However the day had not had a happy ending. Sirius Black, a member of the
Order had died.
Sirius had been Harry Potter's Godfather and the only real father figure he
had ever known. He had also been able to give Harry the hope that one day
he would eventually be able to leave the house he shared with his only
living relatives who despised him. But now he was dead. Even though Harry
was her brother Ron's best friend not hers, Ginny thought that she knew him
well enough to realise that he was blaming himself and believed that he had
killed his Godfather just as much as if he had walked up to him and pushed
him through that veil.
With the exception of Harry Potter, each of the school age combatants had
spent a few days in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts recuperating and some of
the order members had too. Tonks, a young Auror who also worked for the
Order and who Ginny looked up to very much, had had to spend some time in
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Maladies but she too had
eventually recovered.
Sirius' death had been the only one that occurred that day, in a way it
could be viewed as acceptable – they had finally managed to prove to
Cornelius Fudge the Minister of Magic that Lord Voldemort had returned and
so measures could be put into place to fight against the Dark Side. One
death that could possibly prevent thousands, that was acceptable. Wasn't
it?
No it wasn't. Sirius had people who loved him, who cared for him, who felt
lost without him and they needed their loss to be acknowledged. They
didn't need to be patted on the head and sent off to live with people who
despised them and viewed them as a freak because they just happened to be
magical, as Harry had happened.
Ginny was extremely worried about Harry and happy as she was to be back
home, she wished that he was them – even if it had meant that they had had
to remain at Grimmauld Place she would have gladly have given up the chance
to be home for the first time in over a year if it meant that the "Boy who
Lived" was with people who loved and cared for him, who valued him and
considered him part of their family.
They needed him there with them too, they needed the comfort of being with
someone else who had known the truth about Sirius (who had been on the run
from the magical law enforcement squad after escaping from Azkaban the
wizard prison where he had been held for 12 years after being wrongly
convicted of a crime he did not commit) and grieved his death as they did.
They needed to know that he was as safe as possible for whilst he was physically safe at the Dursley's and protected from evil, his closest friends (and whilst Ginny couldn't realistically include herself in that category, she believed she knew Harry well) had noticed that he had become increasingly withdrawn and whilst no one had said anything, Ginny knew that they all knew that nothing good could come of that and were worried about the possibility of Harry doing something reckless and dangerous because he believed it was for the best. This was especially the case because Harry was idolised throughout the wizarding world for something that had happened when he was a baby. It wasn't easy for him being famous for something he didn't remember and which had resulted in the death of his parents. Ginny and her family knew this. The Weasley's knew the real Harry not the legend that everyone else saw when they saw him and so it was with them and their friend Hermione Granger that he needed to be. She might have outgrown her crush on the "Boy who Lived" but ever since she had broken up with her boyfriend Michael Corner, Ginny had had a new interest – The Boy who was Harry Potter. The youngest Weasley just wished that she could make the whole world see him that way and get them to give him the break he deserved. Suddenly startled from her thoughts by her mothers shout, the sassy young redhead headed back towards the house and dinner, little knowing how soon that wish would come true – and the sacrifices it would involve. Molly Weasley was pleased to be at home with all of her children around her even if it was only for a few days. They were at war and once you had lived through a war you learned to appreciate the small things – like being at home surrounded by all your family for the first time in well over a year, like the not quite apology her son Percy had offered after the attack at the ministry, like the understanding they had reached that had brought him home again. Percy had treated them appallingly when he had disowned his family and put his own ambition above those who loved him. She would never admit to it if questioned, but she was even grateful for every little joke that Fred and George played – even if she did shout at them for it. This train of thought continued as she gave her children instructions to help her clear the table for dessert and as she prepared the dessert. However, less than one minute after she had put the plates on the table all hell broke lose as it often did in the Weasley household. Charlie turned red with orange stripes, and yellow dots, jumped up from the kitchen table where they were eating dinner and turned back flips all around the room for twenty minutes before turning back to normal, and chasing Fred and George around the room threatening to hex them for giving him back flip brownies instead of the chocolate brownies that on the table for dessert. Sometimes, laughter really was the best medicine, and it definitely was another thing you learned to appreciate during wartime. Several happy yet busy days followed as the Weasley's enjoyed their little holiday at home before returning to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The younger Weasley's played many games of Quidditch, the twins played jokes on everyone and Percy told them not to. They went on family picnics by the river simply enjoying the chance to be together and one day they even went on a trip to a Muggle cinema and enjoyed their first film. The casual, carefree happiness of summer that masked the fear they all felt came to an abrupt end a couple of days before their planned trip to Grimmauld Place when Albus Dumbledore turned up unannounced and accompanied by Harry Potter. "I'm sorry to disturb you Arthur, Molly." said Dumbledore "but I was wondering if we could take this opportunity to discuss a few matters regarding Mr. Potter and also your daughter?" Arthur Weasley felt his world grind to a crashing halt as he realised what the old headmaster was their for and as a result barely took any notice of the exact details of the discussion that was taking place. That is, until his wife began an argument with the great wizard who stood in front of them, obviously very upset. "No!" the anguished cry came from Molly Weasley, who felt like she was being strangled, like she couldn't breathe. Albus Dumbledore was mad, there was no way she was sending her youngest child off to who knew where with Harry Potter and only a young Auror who didn't have children and didn't know how to deal with them and a werewolf for company. She didn't care how big the threat from You-Know-Who was; surely sending two teenagers who had just discovered their hormones to spend god knows how long with no contact with family or friends and very little supervision was a very bad move! She trusted her Ginny but she had had a crush on Harry for years and who knew what she would do without her around to guide her? Plus, Harry had never had a proper family apart from those dreadful Muggles; who knew if he would behave properly under those circumstances without appropriate supervision? No matter what the danger to Ginny from Voldemort because of these supposed extra powers of healing she possessed, surely there had to be a safer solution then sending her off for god knows how long with only The Boy-Who- Lived and a clumsy young Auror for company. Even if she trusted Remus Lupin, which she did, and liked Nymphadora Tonks, which she did, it didn't mean she was going to send her only daughter off to spend god only knew how long with just them. Didn't Dumbledore realise that you wanted, no needed to be with your family during wartime and that young girls Ginny's age needed their mother, not an Auror who viewed them as a friend and was only a few years older than them? "Molly they must go; it is the only way we can guarantee their safety." the old Headmaster told her. "Tonks and Remus will take good care of them." "I'll go with them as well" she said, resolute that should her only daughter really have to go into hiding she wouldn't be going without her. "No Molly, the boys need you here. You have to trust Lupin and Tonks," her husband said. "I know; we can all go. Then all the children will be safe." Molly was grasping at straws in her attempt to avoid the simple truth that she was going to have to trust her darling Ginny to her friends and hope and pray that they kept her safe; that nothing happened to her. "I'm afraid, Molly, that that is not possible." Albus Dumbledore said sadly, knowing that this was not what either of them wanted to hear. Arthur Weasley went to his wife and wrapped his arms around her as she broke down in tears at the thought that her baby was in real mortal danger and the undeniable truth that she really was going to have to say goodbye to her for an unknown length of time.
They needed to know that he was as safe as possible for whilst he was physically safe at the Dursley's and protected from evil, his closest friends (and whilst Ginny couldn't realistically include herself in that category, she believed she knew Harry well) had noticed that he had become increasingly withdrawn and whilst no one had said anything, Ginny knew that they all knew that nothing good could come of that and were worried about the possibility of Harry doing something reckless and dangerous because he believed it was for the best. This was especially the case because Harry was idolised throughout the wizarding world for something that had happened when he was a baby. It wasn't easy for him being famous for something he didn't remember and which had resulted in the death of his parents. Ginny and her family knew this. The Weasley's knew the real Harry not the legend that everyone else saw when they saw him and so it was with them and their friend Hermione Granger that he needed to be. She might have outgrown her crush on the "Boy who Lived" but ever since she had broken up with her boyfriend Michael Corner, Ginny had had a new interest – The Boy who was Harry Potter. The youngest Weasley just wished that she could make the whole world see him that way and get them to give him the break he deserved. Suddenly startled from her thoughts by her mothers shout, the sassy young redhead headed back towards the house and dinner, little knowing how soon that wish would come true – and the sacrifices it would involve. Molly Weasley was pleased to be at home with all of her children around her even if it was only for a few days. They were at war and once you had lived through a war you learned to appreciate the small things – like being at home surrounded by all your family for the first time in well over a year, like the not quite apology her son Percy had offered after the attack at the ministry, like the understanding they had reached that had brought him home again. Percy had treated them appallingly when he had disowned his family and put his own ambition above those who loved him. She would never admit to it if questioned, but she was even grateful for every little joke that Fred and George played – even if she did shout at them for it. This train of thought continued as she gave her children instructions to help her clear the table for dessert and as she prepared the dessert. However, less than one minute after she had put the plates on the table all hell broke lose as it often did in the Weasley household. Charlie turned red with orange stripes, and yellow dots, jumped up from the kitchen table where they were eating dinner and turned back flips all around the room for twenty minutes before turning back to normal, and chasing Fred and George around the room threatening to hex them for giving him back flip brownies instead of the chocolate brownies that on the table for dessert. Sometimes, laughter really was the best medicine, and it definitely was another thing you learned to appreciate during wartime. Several happy yet busy days followed as the Weasley's enjoyed their little holiday at home before returning to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The younger Weasley's played many games of Quidditch, the twins played jokes on everyone and Percy told them not to. They went on family picnics by the river simply enjoying the chance to be together and one day they even went on a trip to a Muggle cinema and enjoyed their first film. The casual, carefree happiness of summer that masked the fear they all felt came to an abrupt end a couple of days before their planned trip to Grimmauld Place when Albus Dumbledore turned up unannounced and accompanied by Harry Potter. "I'm sorry to disturb you Arthur, Molly." said Dumbledore "but I was wondering if we could take this opportunity to discuss a few matters regarding Mr. Potter and also your daughter?" Arthur Weasley felt his world grind to a crashing halt as he realised what the old headmaster was their for and as a result barely took any notice of the exact details of the discussion that was taking place. That is, until his wife began an argument with the great wizard who stood in front of them, obviously very upset. "No!" the anguished cry came from Molly Weasley, who felt like she was being strangled, like she couldn't breathe. Albus Dumbledore was mad, there was no way she was sending her youngest child off to who knew where with Harry Potter and only a young Auror who didn't have children and didn't know how to deal with them and a werewolf for company. She didn't care how big the threat from You-Know-Who was; surely sending two teenagers who had just discovered their hormones to spend god knows how long with no contact with family or friends and very little supervision was a very bad move! She trusted her Ginny but she had had a crush on Harry for years and who knew what she would do without her around to guide her? Plus, Harry had never had a proper family apart from those dreadful Muggles; who knew if he would behave properly under those circumstances without appropriate supervision? No matter what the danger to Ginny from Voldemort because of these supposed extra powers of healing she possessed, surely there had to be a safer solution then sending her off for god knows how long with only The Boy-Who- Lived and a clumsy young Auror for company. Even if she trusted Remus Lupin, which she did, and liked Nymphadora Tonks, which she did, it didn't mean she was going to send her only daughter off to spend god only knew how long with just them. Didn't Dumbledore realise that you wanted, no needed to be with your family during wartime and that young girls Ginny's age needed their mother, not an Auror who viewed them as a friend and was only a few years older than them? "Molly they must go; it is the only way we can guarantee their safety." the old Headmaster told her. "Tonks and Remus will take good care of them." "I'll go with them as well" she said, resolute that should her only daughter really have to go into hiding she wouldn't be going without her. "No Molly, the boys need you here. You have to trust Lupin and Tonks," her husband said. "I know; we can all go. Then all the children will be safe." Molly was grasping at straws in her attempt to avoid the simple truth that she was going to have to trust her darling Ginny to her friends and hope and pray that they kept her safe; that nothing happened to her. "I'm afraid, Molly, that that is not possible." Albus Dumbledore said sadly, knowing that this was not what either of them wanted to hear. Arthur Weasley went to his wife and wrapped his arms around her as she broke down in tears at the thought that her baby was in real mortal danger and the undeniable truth that she really was going to have to say goodbye to her for an unknown length of time.