Chapter Ten: Getting Involved
"Merlin, Harry, I wish the rest of them were that easy to get rid of," said Ron, rather in awe as Arthur, Remus and Dumbledore stood with them in the front hall, looking rather surprised by the open area into the front parlor which had, until the previous afternoon, been blocked off with a rather large wall - with a rather annoying painting on it - neither of which there was now any sign of.
"I must say, Harry, it does open up this room," Arthur said.
"Rather unfortunate about the original Degas that was hanging on the other side," Remus said quietly.
"If you want it, you're more than welcome to go and get it," Harry commented. All three of them turned to him, their eyes wide with curiosity.
"What?"
"I said, feel free to go and get it. The wall and everything attached to it are now sitting in the Chamber of Secrets."
"Harry?" Dumbledore looked at him, surprised.
"I figured it would be safe there. It's guarded by Hogwarts, so no one can get to it and get information out of the old bat, and she can scream all she likes. Down there it won't be bothering anyone."
"Good thinking, Harry," Dumbledore nodded. "I'm interested, though, in why you simply didn't destroy the wall?"
Harry paled. "I didn't know..."
"Didn't know what, Harry?"
"I didn't know where... where her soul would go. Or if she had one."
Albus nodded, watching Harry closely. "You didn't want to kill her, in case she really was alive."
"Yes," Harry agreed quietly.
"Good, Harry," the old Headmaster nodded again. "Very good. Now, I believe we have a meeting to attend."
The Order of the Phoenix, or those who were able to attend this particular meeting, were assembled in the War Room. Harry and Ron followed Dumbledore and Arthur, with Remus close behind. The others all looked up at their entry.
"Harry?" Hermione looked at him curiously. Harry shook his head to indicate that he couldn't talk right now.
"Everyone who came through the front will have noticed the absence of a certain structural detail in the front hall," Dumbledore noted, trying to cut off the gossip before it side-tracked the meeting. "It would appear that Harry decided to renovate. The rather obnoxious presence that we have been avoiding is no longer a problem."
"You blasted Mrs. Black?" Fred asked, turning to Harry, in awe once again.
"Rather," Dumbledore smiled.
"She insulted... she's done insulting people I care about," Harry said quietly, his eyes meeting with Ginny's across the room. She dropped her eyes, and Harry was suddenly concerned that he had somehow hurt her.
Then he noticed the hair clip, stuck in her hair over her left ear.
"Now, on to Order business," Dumbledore began.
"I would like to know how Mr. Potter managed to silence the portrait, Headmaster. We have all tried, and failed. I am curious to know which spell he used?" Snape, while speaking to Dumbledore, did not take his eyes from Harry as he said this. Harry met his eyes without wavering.
"Simple," Harry said. "I banished the entire wall."
Surprise showed on several faces around the table. Snape's eyebrows rose, and he gave a slight nod, although no trace of a smile could be seen.
"Very good, Mr. Potter. I am impressed with your... innovative solution. However, generally speaking, as the laws of physics apply equally in both the magical and muggle world, has anyone given any thought to the possibility that that particular wall was supporting the weight of the upper stories of this... house?"
"It wasn't," Remus said, eyeing the Potions Master. "I checked."
Snape, his eyes drawn from Harry to the werewolf, nodded again, almost angrily. But he said nothing more.
"Now, perhaps we can get on with the meeting?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry turned his thoughts towards the group in the room. Remembering what Tonks had said, he glanced at Snape, then to the corner where Mundungus Fletcher was slouched. He didn't appear to be paying much attention to what Dumbledore was saying, but then, Dung had often surprised them all.
His gaze continued on to Tonks, startled to find her looking directly back at him. He smiled, his gaze going to Snape, and back again. Tonks nodded. She felt it here.
Harry then divided his attention between listening to Dumbledore and watching the reactions of the others. Snape was silent, hardly moving, his dark gaze centered on Dumbledore, and not easily distracted. He sipped occasionally from a crystal glass of what Harry assumed was some potion. It was bright green and rather sickly looking.
The others all had various drinks in front of them, coffee, tea, butterbeer and the occasional glass of wine. Mundungus Fletcher had a large glass of what looked to be firewhiskey in his hand. Harry knew the man drank firewhiskey like most people drank water.
As Harry watched, Dung's eyes lifted, looking at the Potions Master. Harry glanced at Snape in surprise. Snape's eyes, while not really moving, had seemed to... dart to the rather disreputable man in the corner. Harry glanced back at Dung, and saw a look of both extreme dislike and mild fear on his heavy features, before he colored and looked back down into his glass.
Harry took a breath, and looked over to Tonks, who was watching him closely. Harry nodded. Later, they needed to talk.
"...and I am concerned about the future of our organization, should this come to pass," Dumbledore was speaking.
Dear Merlin, Harry thought. What have I missed?
"I cannot tell you all the details. They are not mine to tell. But understand this, I stand behind Harry in every way possible. Those of you who are doubting of his ability, or doubting of the necessity of his involvement here, let me tell you now, without Harry, we will fail."
There was silence in the room. Harry glanced around to find that more than one set of eyes were on him.
"I am not here to divide the Order," he said softly. "I have no wish to do that. If we are divided, we may as well hand things over to Tom Riddle right now."
"Tom Riddle?" Mundungus Fletcher's eyes met his.
"I refuse to call him by a manufactured name that he created simply to instill fear in people," Harry said. "He is no Lord. Voldemort is not his name. He is, or rather was, Tom Marvolo Riddle, a student at Hogwarts sixty years ago, a Slytherin," Harry's eyes darted to Professor Snape. "Nothing more. He may have powerful control of magic, but he is, and always will be, a half-blood wizard, just like me."
The silence in the room was deafening.
"Albus?" Minerva McGonagall turned to him.
"Harry makes a very good point," Dumbledore stated. "There is no reason to fear him. He is a wizard, like any other. However, it is important that we recognize the differences. He is a very powerful wizard, with a mighty following. There is something very definitely not human about him, but he is still mortal. He manipulates magic in ways that have not been seen in... well, in centuries. But I have high hopes that Fate has not left us with only one half of the equation."
"Professor?" Hermione looked at him, rather confused. "I don't..."
"Balance, Miss Granger. It is in all things. Should Fate have given us a force of powerful evil, then I feel confident that she will have supplied us with a force of powerful good, as well. Balance in all things."
"Professor, if we have... a... a force... to counteract Voldemort's evil... then if that force destroys that evil..."
Dumbledore turned his twinkling blue eyes on the brilliant young witch.
"I do not believe that that is something that we can speculate on at this time, Miss Granger."
Hermione, realizing what she had almost said, looked stunned, then glanced around the room. Curious eyes watched her, but quickly turned their attention back to Dumbledore when he began to speak of their plans for the next week.
After the meeting, Harry waited for the room to clear before he approached Dumbledore. Ron looked down at him as Harry continued to sit, and Harry nodded towards their Headmaster.
"I need to speak to Dumbledore for a minute," he said quietly.
"See you later, then," Ron nodded, walking towards the door. Harry noticed Hermione approach him, and was shocked when Ron said something that seemed to surprise her, then walked on, leaving her standing, redfaced.
After a moment, she straightened her back, got a rather determined look on her face, and followed the crowd out the door, leaving Harry alone with the head of the Order.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"I'm concerned."
"How so?"
"About the Death Eaters. There hasn't been any activity, has there?"
"No, not recently, Harry."
"I wonder why. I wonder where they've all gotten to," Harry said, his concern showing.
"Planning, Harry, just as we are."
"I don't like it, Professor. I mean, for them to be this quiet..."
"I know, Harry. I know." Dumbledore turned to him. "Have you had any dreams?"
Harry laughed. "Regularly. Every night, really. Why do you think that Mrs. Weasley gave me a room to myself? Poor Ron wouldn't have gotten a bit of sleep if we had shared rooms this summer. As it is, I tend to put a silencing charm on my room so that I don't disturb anyone."
Dumbledore looked at him carefully. "And you haven't seen fit to tell me this?"
"They're not... that kind of dream, sir," Harry admitted. "They're more about Sirius...and... well."
"And the problems you have encountered in dealing with your destiny," Albus nodded sadly.
"Yes."
"Again, Harry, I apologise. I tend to be rather... well, your Transfiguration professor tells me that I tend to have a one-track mind. I rather think that in this instance, she's correct."
"I just don't deal well with being... left out of the loop," Harry said. "Especially when things happen that would have otherwise..."
"I know, Harry, and I am truly sorry."
"I know, Professor," Harry said.
"I think that what is going on right now is a... rallying of his troops, if you will. He is gathering, assessing, planning. We will not know until he strikes, unless you or Professor Snape are able to infiltrate his true plans."
"About Snape..."
"Professor Snape, Harry."
"Not until September the first, sir," Harry continued, respectfully but firmly. "I am concerned about that, as well."
"How so?"
"I know you trust him, sir, although I have absolutely no understanding of why, but I know you do. And I know that you wish me to, as well. But I can't. There are things..."
"You and Professor Snape have a difficult history..."
"No, we don't," Harry denied. "That's just it. He and my father had a difficult history. I am not my father, but he refuses to understand that. Until he does, we will never get past this, and I will never be able to trust him. However, that isn't what I meant."
"What did you mean?"
"Others distrust him as well."
"I am aware that your friends..."
"No, sir," Harry said quietly. "I mean older members of the Order... people who have been around for... well, for a while. I mean, people who like and respect you, but have no idea of why you would choose to put your trust in someone like him. There are doubts, and I am trying to tell you that, if anything divides us, it will be that. I have already been approached by more than one member of your Order who has told me that I will have their full support should such a thing happen, and Snape is very much an issue for them."
Harry felt the sudden probing at his mental barrier, and gently pushed the old wizard back out of his mind.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I have no intention of allowing you to know who has approached me. I simply want you to know that I don't intend to cause any division, nor am I the only one who does not trust everyone you trust."
"Understood, Harry. However, I would ask that you please have faith that I have my reasons for feeling confident in Professor Snape's allegiance."
"I'm sure you do," Harry said. "I just felt it was important that you know."
Out in the hallway, Hermione had watched as Ron hurried up the stairs. How dare he make a comment like that to her!
I really don't want to talk to you right now, Hermione. Perhaps you should just wait and talk to Harry.
Ron had been acting oddly for days, and Hermione had nearly had enough of it. She was sick to death of having him push her away, leave a room when she entered it, make snide comments meant to hurt. She was sick of it, and it was about to end.
Stomping up the stairs, she followed Ron to his room and pushed the door open directly after he shut it. Striding into the room, she looked at the two boys there.
Neville was reclining on his bed reading what appeared to be a herbology textbook. His surprised eyes darted from her, to Ron, and back to her again.
Ron swung around, his startled eyes seeing her standing in the doorway.
"You can't just walk into a bloke's room without knocking!"
"No? Well it would appear that I just did!" she glanced at Neville. "Neville, Ron and I have something to discuss that requires some privacy. Would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?"
"No problem, Hermione..." Neville scrambled off his bed and made past her for the door, pulling it shut behind him.
"You can't just kick him out..."
"No? Again, I just did. What in Merlin's name is your problem, Weasley?"
"Me? I don't have a problem!" he yelled, his face getting rather red.
"Oh? Then why are you pushing me away, being rude at every opportunity, always upset with Harry..."
"Oh, Harry... so now we get to it!" Ron sputtered.
"What are you talking about?" she said, completely flustered. "This is about us!"
"There is no us, Hermione!" he yelled.
Hermione was stunned. Her eyes teared up, and she held back a sob that insisted on surfacing.
"Strange, Ron, I've thought for six years that there was most definitely an us. You and Harry and I are friends, or so I thought. I've always thought that there would be an us."
"Oh, there is definitely a you and Harry, isn't there?"
"What?"
"When were you going to tell me, Hermione?"
"Tell you what?"
Ron let out an exasperated breath. "Tell me about you, and Harry?"
"Me? And Harry?" Hermione looked at him, shock in her eyes. "What on earth are you on about?"
"Oh, come on! I know you think I'm thick, but I'm not blind! Or stupid! You and Harry have been together since he arrived. When did it start? Last year? The year before? Where either of you ever going to tell me? I'm only your best friend!"
"You..." Hermione swallowed. "You think that Harry and I..."
She walked over to Neville's bed and sat down heavily.
"All the kisses and hugs, and shopping trips... and finding you in his room the other morning... like I said, I'm not blind, Hermione."
"No," she agreed. "But apparently you're the biggest idiot in all of England."
Ron made an angry, disbelieving little noise in his throat and turned away from her.
"You're unbelievable," he said.
"Me? You think that Harry and I would carry on a relationship... progress as far as you seem to think we have..." Hermione blushed at the thought of Harry telling her that Ron was convinced that Harry had already had some experiences that Ron hadn't. "And think we would keep that from you?"
Ron turned back to her, "You're denying it?"
"Yes, Ron. I most definitely am!"
"I saw you coming out of his shower!"
"Yes. You did," she agreed, standing. "But did you bother to consider that if anything were happening between Harry and me, we would have told you? Did you bother to trust in our friendship?"
"Ginny saw you in the hallway."
"In the hallway?"
"The night of the first Order meeting. She said you were kissing."
"What?"
"She saw you, Hermione."
"What she saw was me freaking out with fear, and Harry comforting me. We most certainly did not kiss! He hugged me. We talked, and he told me to get my parents here. He did not kiss me!"
Ron stared at her, hard, all color leaving his face.
"Then why were you... why were you showering in his room...?"
"Because I wanted to be ready in time to go with Tonks to get my parents, and with seven other people in the house, the main bath is always being used. I told Harry I probably wouldn't have time to be ready, and he told me that if there was someone in the bath when I was ready to shower, to use his so I could be."
"He..."
"He's like a brother to me, Ron."
"He told me that he loved you."
"I'm sure he does. Like I love him."
"No... I... talked to him about you... and him... and he said he really liked you."
Hermione sat again. "I don't know how that is possible, Ron."
"I'm not lying!"
"I didn't say you were. But I do think you're mistaken. Harry is... well, it's not me that Harry is interested in.."
"What?"
"Oh, Ron, you are blind! Harry's so tied in knots over Ginny it's not even funny!"
"Ginny!"
"Yes, Ginny. He's been nuts about her for years, but wouldn't ever admit it. Now he's got it in his head that she's... well, apparently she's been seen with Ernie MacMillian coming out of a broomcloset..."
"Ginny?" Ron began to redden again.
"Look, Ron, I don't know what the deal is. I know that she's not been doing anything... well, inappropriate. But Harry seems to think that you think that he and she have..."
"What?"
"Something you said to your mother in front of him."
Ron's face reddened further. "I was talking about you."
"It would seem that the two of you have been talking at cross-purposes for some time. And Ginny... well, I don't know what she's been up to, but she's got him convinced that she's some kind of... scarlet woman..."
"What?"
"He's quite upset that he seems to know something about Ginny's... activities, that you don't. And I don't even know if he's admitted to himself that he's green with jealousy."
"Activities?"
"Ron, relax. You and I both know that it's not true... but I think that Ginny has been doing things to intentionally..."
"She has."
"What?"
"She told me..." Ron colored at the memory. "Well, never mind when she told me. But she's got it in her head that Harry avoids her when he thinks that she feels anything for him, so she's been trying to... well, build a reputation that would prove she doesn't care about him, so that he doesn't avoid her so much. It really hurts her when he does that, because I think she honestly does still care about him."
"I know she does," Hermione said quietly. "Those two! What are we going to do?"
"Us? Why should we do anything?" Ron looked panicked.
"Well, they never will, so we have to! Come on, Ron! Harry deserves a little happiness, and Ginny really cares about him."
"So that means that we ought to get involved? Oh, I think not, Hermione!"
Hermione looked at him.
"Ron... we have to."
"No, we do not!"
"Yes, we do!"
Ron stared at her, realizing that this witch could make him do anything she wanted, if she really tried. Sighing, he closed his eyes and said, "Just exactly what do you have in mind?"
Treck: So suspicious!
Shotgunn: Ah, blatant ego-stroking! I love it! Come ON – do ANY of my stories NOT end with H/G and R/H?? It's the way it is, folks!
Azn-anime-freak11: Well, glad to hear it... I like to update often!
Kordolin: A bit more for you... Harry and Ginny can't figure it out TOO quickly, come on! There'd be very little suspense then!
HP Geek: Ginny didn't exactly LIE, she's been dishonest about who she is and what she's been up to in broom closets with the like of Ernie MacMillian. She has her reasons, but dishonesty is very firmly delineated for Harry...
GiGiFanfic: I think we're all just so starved for something HP that, even if it isn't JKR, anything that expands on the world she's created and feeds our need for these stories is good! I know I've read some SHOCKINGLY bad fanfic, just because I needed my fix! I have a rather odd sense of humor at times, and this comes through in my writing. I think the twins and I would get along famously!
Aenigmatic: I love that you love my fast updates!
Heather: Thanks! I'm glad my version of the canon characters is coming across as believable. It's not hard, as I have excellent characters to work with. As I've said before, JKR is my hero.
Ima Quidditch Fan: Yes, it's coming soon. I think.
Sabine Strohem-Moss: Harry is really sweet under it all. And Mrs Black HAD to go...
Sumers Girl: Glad you like it!
Not Your Average: You KNOW they call her "Mione"... just like they call Kingsley "Shack"... come on (grin) ! Don't worry, Ron will get his...
Reality Introvert: Relax... it's coming, it's coming!
Dkand Max: It's coming, I promise.
RadcliffeRox24: Well, would YOU want to stay there, not knowing anything about Remus except he was a werewolf? Mr and Mrs Granger might well surprise everyone, though. You never know.
Merlindamage: For some reason, I find it very difficult to write Diagon Alley scenes. I don't know what it is, they just don't come to me like the other scenes do. They're always hard work, and hard writing, and it ALWAYS shows in the end product. I guess I'm just not meant to write them.
CQ