Hope of the Phoenix (20/21)
Rating: PG 13
Pairing: Remus/Petunia
Disclaimer: JKR, not me, owns Harry Potter. I am merely playing in her universe, and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Thank you for all the reviews of the proceeding chapter! And, once again, I am so sorry to have taken so long with this one (stupid school... interfering with my life). I always seem to be prefacing my chapters with apologies. Sigh. Once more, again, thank you to Tsuchi for the beta.
Now to answer specific questions/comments!
Cherie: Thanks so much for the link! And here's your update!
Piccolo Girl: my email is . Hope this helps.
Bob: I'm glad you like Voldie's plan – though of course, I can't really take credit for it, as I stole it from Hans Christian Anderson. Sigh. As for your suggestion that the Goblin's Mirror being a reverse Mirror of Erised, I admit I had not thought about that, but that is a very good thing for it to be. I hereby declare it a reverse mirror of Erised, and I will (haven't yet) make the requisite changes to chapter 19! Thank you for that great idea!
Athenakitty: This chapter gives a bit more of what Remus, and Harry, sort of, were doing while Petunia was in the Pensieve – it should also explain why Harry is back at Grimmauld Place if he is not participating in the interrogation. As for Vernon, he was not captured as well. Petunia saw him as part of a separate memory. What I was implying (apparently not as clearly as I thought) is that Bellatrix Lestrange was among the Death Eaters that attacked Privet Drive. Her encounter with Petunia at the Conference brought back her memories of the attack on Vernon, so that they were near the top, and Dumbledore was thus able to siphon them. It is a different memory from the memory of the Death Eater meeting. Hope this clears up your questions!
And now for something completely different!
Chapter 20: Once More Unto the Breach...
Remus ducked as a purple flash shot over his head, spun around, and, spotting Arthur Weasley beside him (disguised as John Major), signaled to him to move in concert. Together they moved among the death eaters, one putting up shielding spells as the other targeted a death eater; defending each other's back.
Out of the corner of his eye, Remus noticed Minerva had gone down, hit by a streak of light from one of the Death Eater's wand, and calling out to Arthur, they began to move towards her.
Then several things happened at once. For one thing, the Death Eaters seemed to suddenly lose focus. They seemed, if it were possible, to be confused. Then Remus noticed that Bellatrix Lestrange had gone, or had at least stopped shouting orders. A wave of stunning spells hit the confused Death Eaters, and, almost before Remus was able to fully realize what had happened, the unconscious Death Eaters were tied up in the center of the conference room.
Molly had already rushed over to Minerva, and, with a skill born of years as mother to seven children (two of whom were the Weasley twins), she quickly declared that Minerva must be brought to St. Mungo's immediately. Remus, too hurried up to Minerva and knelt beside Molly. It was clear that Minerva wouldn't bounce back very quickly this time. She was unconscious, and her breathing was shallow. First Umbridge's attack last year, and now this. Remus cursed under his breath. She had better recover, or there would be hell to pay.
"Where's Petunia?" A voice, edged with panic, broke across Remus' thoughts like a thunderclap at a family picnic. A man, dressed in a suit – one of the Order, clearly, but with the disguise, Remus couldn't be sure who – was scanning the, empty, head table, a look of blind terror across his features. Remus felt a stab of fear cut into his guts and twist. He scanned around the room, had she been killed, or captured?
"Relax, Percy." Arthur's voice was soothing. "Dumbledore very wisely thought to make my water glass a Portkey. She is likely back at Grimmauld Place at this very moment."
One of the other "delegates" walked up to them. "I must return to Headquarters before this disguise wears off and I am seen. Some of you should make sure these Death Eaters are arrested, and the rest of you, get Professor McGonagall to St. Mungo's." And, with a pop, he was gone. Clearly, the spell that prevented apparition had worn off.
When Minerva had been settled into St.Mungo's, Remus, now himself once more, along with Percy and Molly, returned to Grimmauld Place. Percy had been displaying rather more than his usual single-mindedness, demanding that they return to Headquarters quickly to see if Petunia was all right. If Remus hadn't been concerned as well, it would have been rather annoying. Actually, it was still annoying – it kept reminding him of how worried he was.
When they arrived at Grimmauld Place, Remus was presented with a very angry Harry ("Professor Lupin, Professor Dumbledore won't let me help, he let Aunt Petunia and Snape but he won't let me"), and a concerned Hermione ("Professor McGonagall's illness won't interfere with our Transfiguration exam tomorrow, will it, sir"), but there was no sign of Petunia. Neville seemed to notice that he was looking, however, because he nodded towards the kitchen and said, quietly, "they're in there."
Remus, closely followed by Percy and Molly, hurried into the kitchen. Professor Dumbledore was sitting on the ground beside the unconscious, but luckily bound, form of Bellatrix Lestrange. But there was no sign of either Petunia or Severus. There was only this strange bowl on the floor.
"Where's Pet..." began Remus, but Dumbledore made a sign with his hand, calling for silence. He seemed to be concentrating on the swirling mass of grey stuff within the bowl.
After a few seconds, Dumbledore looked up, and said, in a quick, staccato voice that called for immediate action: "Percy, Molly, I want you to take Mrs. Lestrange to Azkaban immediately. Say that you caught her as she was attempting to flee. Percy, do not let it be known that you were involved today. Then, contact as many members of the Order as you can, and tell them to report back to Headquarters for an emergency meeting."
Percy gave one last worried look around the room, before he and his mother used Mobilicorpus, and, leading the Death Eaters body, disappeared into the hall.
Only a few moments later, the forms of Petunia and Snape reappeared, shooting out from the bowl on the floor. Snape was scowling – worse than usual – and Petunia was crying; weeping as if the world was about to end. Remus quickly gathered her up in his arms, and let her cry.
That night, they held the emergency Order meeting. Dumbledore allowed Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville to sit in; he felt it was important that Harry be informed of what was going on. Even Charlie Weasley's head was present – it sat in the fireplace, participating in the meeting from all the way in Romania.
Dumbledore summarized for them what Petunia and Snape had learned in the Pensieve. From the shocked faces of the others, Petunia could tell this was unlike anything they had been suspecting Voldemort to come up with. It was obvious none of them had any ideas on how to stop Lord Voldemort this time.
From what they had learned in Bellatrix's memory, it was clear that Voldemort had already put the shards into Minister Fudge, and several other important officials. But who were those officials? And whom else had he influenced? And, even if they could find everyone, how were they to get rid of the shards from the Goblin's Mirror?
Petunia still thought it was hopeless. There was no way out this time.
Then Dumbledore spoke.
"It would seem, friends, that now is our most desperate hour. As before, our only hope is unity. We cannot allow Voldemort to disunite us. Petunia, you must hold that press conference, for real this time. We need the Muggles to be united, with us and with each other, in this fight. We know that Voldemort has not bothered to inflict them with the Goblin's mirror, believing them too stupid to unite against him. We must make that the weakness of his plan. Percy, Tonks, Arthur and Kingsley, you will be in charge of the Ministry. It will be up to you to heal Minister Fudge, and to discover whom else at the Ministry have been influenced. Remus, I'm sending you back to the werewolves – try to coordinate with Firenze, I'm sending him back to the centaurs. Hagrid, contact Madame Maxime, we must make another embassy to the giants. Bill, use your contacts with the Goblins, try to get them on board. Fleur, is there any chance of getting the Veela to help?" He fixed his blue eyes on Fleur.
"I eem not sure, Professor, I have not 'ad any contact with the Veela. Should I ask Grand-mere? She would likely know 'ow to contact them?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Talk to your grand-mother; but be discrete. You should return to France in person and talk to her directly; we cannot trust to the fires outside of Headquarters. Go with Hagrid."
He turned to the head sitting in the fireplace. "Charlie, I need you to continue making contacts on the continent. And contact Victor Krum – he spoke to me last year about helping in any way he could." Petunia noticed a strange, annoyed, look flit across Ron's face, and he glared at Hermione. She made a mental note to ask Harry what was going on there – it looked like there was some interesting gossip to be had.
"Harry, I would like you to make a point before to school ends to speak to Sir Nicolas and Myrtle and as many of the other ghosts as possible. Their help could be essential. And I will speak to Dobby, and try to enlist as many of the house elves as I can."
He looked meaningfully at them all; his blue eyes without their customary sparkle. "We are standing on the brink of the abyss of eternity. Our success or failure will determine the future of the entire world: magic and muggle, human and non-human, we are all in this together. We shall unite, or we shall fall to our own rivalries and conflicts."
"'Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, ... and, upon this charge, cry 'God for Harry, England and St. George'" quoted Petunia.
"Indeed" nodded Dumbledore, and he smiled. "This will determine our future – if we fail, there will be no other chance. So 'stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood' – for there is no going back."
Petunia felt Remus take one of her hands in his, and Harry take the other, and smiled. She and her family would face this... together.