Disclaimer: All characters are property of J.K. Rowling and are being used
without permission. No attempt has been made to copyright this work. This novel
is purely for the entertainment of the author and readers and is not being used
for profit of any sort.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHRISTMAS WITH THE WEASLEYS
Harry found himself in a familiar green pasture, lying on his back in a sea of dandelions. The sky was clear and blue, and the wind gently caressed his face. In the distance Harry could see a familiar figure dressed in white.
"Sirius?"
But Sirius didn't say anything back. He merely smiled and waved as he turned to walk away.
Harry opened his eyes and immediately realized that it had just been a dream. A very good dream, but a very sad one as well. There was something very...final about it. Deep inside, Harry knew that Sirius would no longer be visiting him in his dreams.
Still, there was something about what Luna had said earlier...
Harry put his sadness aside as he realized that he had overslept a little. He hurriedly got showered and dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. On his way through the common room he noticed that the usual hats and socks that Hermione left around were not present. Ron apparently had kept his promise to Dobby and convinced Hermione to stop her efforts.
As Harry walked through the halls he noticed a lot of his classmates looked very stressed. The N.E.W.T level students throughout Hogwarts were having a horrible time. End of term exams were just a few days away, and the instructors were in no way forgiving. At the end of every day Harry and his friends trounced up to the Gryffindor common room, exhausted. They had barely been able to fit in Quidditch practices. Max had also increased the difficulty of Harry's Legilimency lessons. Legilimency was now becoming like second nature for Harry, and sometimes he found himself using it without realizing what he was doing.
Harry was looking forward to the end of the term, but he knew that the next term was going to be even more difficult. Not only that, but each day brought Snape's return to Hogwarts closer. Harry had gotten very used to not seeing the potions master.
Harry arrived in the Great Hall and joined his friends at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione were wearing large top hats with "Weasley for Minister!" painted on the side in bright red. They were on a quest to increase support Ron's father in the election. Harry figured Mr. Weasley wouldn't need too much more help though, being the only Ministry official that was officially involved in Peter Pettigrew's capture.
"Hey there sleepyhead." Ron said as Harry sat down. Harry noticed that he was sitting next to Hermione instead of across from her as he usually did.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Harry groggily replied.
"I figured you needed the rest." Ron replied. "Besides, you seemed to be having a good dream. Did it involve anyone I know?" Ron added with a sly smile.
"That would be none of your business." Harry replied. "Don't you think it's time to take those hats off?"
"Of course not. Fudge still has a chance of winning this thing."
"He does?" Harry said, shocked. He wondered how anyone could still trust the man.
"Haven't you been paying attention to the election news?" Hermione said in an exasperated tone.
"Not really. I've had other things on my mind." Harry really had no interest in politics, Muggle or otherwise. He was more worried about keeping his friends alive. He was, however, glad to see Ron and Hermione working together on an issue they agreed on.
"Who else is running?" Harry asked.
"There are four different candidates at the moment." Hermione answered. "You know about Fudge and Mr. Weasley. Then there's Mafalda Hopkirk, the head of the Improper Use of Magic office. She's working the angle of keeping our world secret from the Muggles during Voldemort's attacks. She's also pushing for some hard penalties on Dark Magic use. There's also Barnabus Satchel, a member of the Wizengamot. He was the one that brought up Peter's possession by Voldemort in the trial."
"If Satchel gets in we're gonna be in a world of trouble." Ron said as he started to eat his eggs.
Harry recalled the smarmy wizard that had questioned him in Peter's trial.
"Mr. Weasley's chances look good though." Hermione continued. "He's perfectly qualified for the position, and he's the least likely to get corrupted. He also has a lot of good friends in the Ministry, and everyone knows the Weasley family is a good bunch. It's all quite exciting really." Hermione continued. "I wish I could vote in this election."
"You'll get your chance next time, Hermione." Harry stated as he grabbed a bagel. "That is, if you survive these Hogwarts courses."
"And the next term is supposed to be even harder!" Ron added. "I don't know how we're supposed to fit in Madam Hooch's Apparition classes."
Harry's mood picked up a bit when Ron mentioned the Apparition lessons. He couldn't wait to learn to apparate. Anything that lessened his number of trips through the Floo Network was a blessing.
"Oh quit complaining Ron," Hermione said, "it's only a handful classes. It's not like there's any homework to do, it's not even a graded course. You shouldn't have any trouble with it."
"I dunno, I remember Charlie having a bit of trouble with that test."
"You'll do fine." Hermione insisted. "You'll have me to help you...and Harry too of course. Oh, look at the time. We should head out for Hagrid's class."
The trio headed out into the chilly December morning. Just outside Hagrid's hut there was a large bonfire that burned bright blue flames. As soon as they got near it, they didn't feel nearly as cold, and there was no snow in a wide circular area around the flame.
"Gather 'round, gather 'round." Hagrid beckoned to the approaching students. "Now, we've spent all term with the crups, and I know ye all had a good time with 'em. I'm afraid it's time ter say goodbye though."
There were a few groans and sad faces in the crowd of students. Harry could tell that even Ron was a bit sad to see the crups go. Harry felt the same way. He had gotten very attached to Harvey, the exuberant little crup they had learned to train.
"Yep, yep." Hagrid continued. "Don't worry none, they'll be taken care of. You might even get ter see some of the same ones in yer N.E.W.T exams. I know you want to keep Oscar there Parvati and yer parents 'ave said okay so I'll have 'im brought to yer house. Anyways, we're movin' on now. Follow me."
The students followed Hagrid around the back of the hut to a set of large cages full of very furry red and brown creatures.
"Jarveys." Hagrid said. "They're kinda like ferrets. Now ya notice they have muzzles on 'em. That's cuz they can talk, see. They don't talk nice though, oh no no. They can't say nuthin' that ain't rude or insultin'. Now I warn yeh, don't get upset at 'em. They don't really know what they're sayin'."
All the students paired up and took one of the furry creatures. Once their muzzles were removed, the verbal assault began.
"Miserable little skank!" the fat Jarvey that Hermione was holding said in a high pitched voice.
"Uhm, Hagrid. Why are we learning to handle these...things?" Hermione asked with a distasteful look on her face.
"Well they're kinda useful Hermione." Hagrid said. "They're very smart. They chase off garden gnomes and knarls. Knarls hate ter be insulted."
Harry was trying to pay attention to Hagrid, but his focus was diverted when the squirming Jarvey in his arms yelled "You got scaly hands!"
"You're ugly!" one of the Jarveys yelled at Neville.
"You know, I kind of like these things." Ron said with a wicked grin.
The class busied themselves with the annoying new creatures, giving Harry the opportunity to ask Hagrid a question that had been nagging him.
"Uhm, Hagrid. How's your little brother doing?"
Harry recalled the letter he received from Hagrid that summer about Grawp. Immediately after the events in the forest with the centaurs, Dumbledore and Hagrid had apparently taken some new precautions.
"Oh he's doin' just fine, Harry. Dumbledore came by and put some great concealment charms around a spot in the forest. The centaurs can't even find 'im. You'll have to come see him in the spring. His English is gettin' pretty good."
After Hagrid's class Harry and his friends went back into the castle. The rest of the day's classes were pretty routine, consisting mostly of review material for the upcoming exams. When they arrived at Max's class later that afternoon though, they knew something was going to be different. At the front of the class was a large rectangular object that was concealed by a large sheet.
"Well, I think we've thoroughly covered a lot of topics this term," Max said when his students had arrived, "especially Sneakoscopes. Your exam for this term will include a fairly straightforward test of your knowledge of their mechanics. You won't have to successfully build one...yet. For next term, I think we should move on to the most intriguing of all the magical items you will study this year, magical mirrors. The information we will cover on this topic will be essential for the creation of your Foe Glasses." Max stepped over to the mystery object and pulled back the sheet. Ron and Harry were shocked...
It was the Mirror of Erised.
"Some of you may already be quite familiar with this mirror." Max said as he shot a quick glance at Ron and Harry. "It is the Mirror of Erised. It's quite a complicated piece of wizardry. The mirror shows the deepest desire of whoever gazes into it. The nature of this enchantment is very unique. We will be studying it next term."
"Aren't there ways of talking to someone through a mirror?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry. There are ways of communicating via mirrors. However, creating them is quite tricky. There are also certain restrictions put on how they can be used. It's almost a ban, really. You see, it can be very difficult to tell normal mirrors from magical ones. Two-way mirrors can be very easily used for spying. Actually, during my Hogwarts years a rather astute student managed to put one in one of the girls showers."
"A student in your year at Hogwarts was able to build a complex magical item?" Hermione said. "Hmmm, I wonder who it was?"
"That, Hermione, is still a subject of much debate." Max said with a wide grin. "The culprit's identity, however, remains unknown."
***
Exam week was just as Harry expected it would be: horrible. He was sure that Professor McGonnagall's Transfiguration exam had put several gray hairs on his head. Proffessor Grubbly-Plank had also given them an exam that covered nearly every ingredient they'd ever studied. Harry found Professor Flitwick's and Hagrid's exams less difficult, but Max and Professor Grok had put together some really tricky test questions. It took Harry almost twenty minutes to answer the first essay question on the curses test. After Max's test, Harry stayed behind for his last Legilimency lesson of the year.
"Are you getting impressions from Voldemort yet?" Max asked when everyone else had left.
"No, nothing recently. Should I be?"
"We don't have any indication that Voldemort knows about your Legilimency abilities yet, which means he's not actively trying to block you. This is still our greatest advantage over him."
"Alright, but I haven't gotten anything from him since the attack on Hogsmeade."
"You were able to get a clear view of what Voldemort was seeing because he was working through Peter, who was near you. I think that you may be ready to try a long-distance connection. You must find out where Voldemort is hiding. The election is coming up at the end of next month. Our intelligence suggests that he may try something to influence the voting."
"What's with this voting thing anyway?" Harry asked. "Aren't ministers usually selected by the Prime Minister?"
"Usually. But Muggle politicians have no place in wizard matters. It's best for us to handle our own political affairs. The Prime Minister acknowledges the unique nature of the Ministry of Magic. For the most part, we're left to our own devices. It's better that way. Now, about your lesson today. Professor Grok and I have been having some discussions on the nature of curse scars. I think that you have to switch your focus. The scar itself is the link between you and Voldemort. I believe that if you focus on the scar instead of Voldemort, you will have better results."
"Okay..." Harry said, confused.
"You're familiar with how Muggles use electricity, right Harry?"
"Yeah."
"Think of the scar as a metal wire." Max said. "It can carry power from one point to another, but the more power you put into it..."
"The hotter it gets."
"Exactly." Max confirmed.
"So this is going to hurt." Harry sighed.
"Yes, probably quite a bit. But it won't be anything that you haven't already experienced."
"Won't Voldemort know what's happening?"
"Probably not. The scar is on your head after all, not his. Now, if you two were to try to make a connection simultaneously...that might tip him off. It might also cause a great deal of harm to both of you, I'm not sure."
"So once again we're trying new things that might toast my brain."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Max said with a shrug. "Give it a try now."
Harry sat and tried to concentrate on the scar on his forehead. It was the one part of his body that had always felt familiar, yet foreign. There had always been something strange about it. Harry could feel the scar start to tingle. A hazy picture formed in his mind. Everything appeared to be shadows and globs of color, it seemed like Voldemort was moving...walking somewhere. He turned a corner and saw Severus Snape standing in front of him, wearing a very disturbing grin. Before Harry could see anything else, the vision went dark as Harry felt a flash of white hot pain in his head. When he got his wits about him again, he saw Max holding out a glass full of pinkish liquid.
"It's a painkilling potion. Hopefully it'll help."
"Thanks." Harry said quietly. The pain in his head wasn't the worst he had ever felt, but it certainly wasn't anything he wanted to deal with for much longer.
"See anything?" Max asked.
"Snape."
"Hmm, interesting. Anything else?"
"Nothing that was clear. It was really fuzzy around the edges."
"Could you hear what Snape was talking about?"
"No. He looked pretty pleased with himself though." Harry said. Max's potion was making him feel better already, and it even tasted good.
"Interesting."
"What's so interesting about it?"
Max let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose it's time to tell you this, but you'll have to keep it very secret. Snape hasn't been himself lately. He's been forgetting things. He told Dumbledore that he thinks that Voldemort hit him with an Obliviate."
"Why would he do that?"
"He may not trust Snape completely. It's taken a lot of work for us to get Voldemort to trust him at all. We've had to let Snape leak a lot of information on purpose. It's been very risky. Since he's been acting strange though, we've had to take some other precautions."
"So that's why he's coming back to Hogwarts so soon."
"Yes. It's not safe to have a double agent with memory loss. We're assuming that Snape saw something that Voldemort wasn't sure that he could trust him with. Our new game plan is to bring Snape back in and have him act like a mole inside of Hogwarts, providing information about our defenses. Hopefully the Death Eaters will fall for it. If not, at least Snape will be safe here."
"But we have to put up with him again."
Max smiled. "Think of it this way Harry, at least you know one of his weaknesses now. I overheard that little confrontation he had with Neville at the Quidditch match. Rather priceless, that was. I'm glad that Neville got some payback, but Snape really should have known about the Yggdrasil. They don't call him a potions master for nothing. With the memory loss though, there will be plenty of opportunities for such encounters if Snape steps out of line."
"You're a devious man, Max."
"Yes, I am. Don't tell anybody though, it's a secret."
"Understood. Well, I think I should get going and say goodbye to my friends before they leave for the holidays."
"Harry, before you go, keep in mind that we need you to be able to see into Voldemort's head soon. I know it's the holidays and all, but you will still need to practice."
"Fine. I'll try to fit it in." Harry said as he walked to the door. "Merry Christmas, Max."
"Same to you Harry."
***
On his way from Max's classroom Harry ran into Neville. "Hey, Nev. What are you still doing here?"
"Hey Harry. Uhm, I just decided to stay here for Christmas. I think I need some time alone, you know?"
"I know exactly how you feel, Neville." Harry figured that Neville had a lot of things to figure out in his life these days, and spending the holidays with his overbearing grandmother might not be the best thing for him.
Harry wished Neville a merry Christmas, then quickly walked back to the Gryffindor dorms. When he arrived he found Ron casting a variety of spells.
"Accio suitcase." One of Harry's suitcases flew over to Ron.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked.
"I'm helping you pack your stuff. You're spending Christmas with the Weasleys this year. No arguments."
"I don't know about that, Ron. Voldemort's still out there, and we still don't know what he's planning."
"Come on Harry, you need to get away from this place for awhile. Besides, everybody's dying to see you. You know how stubborn Weasleys can be. If you don't come to them, they'll come to you."
"Point taken." Harry said, smiling. "I guess I'll have to go then."
"The Weasley charm never fails. Not even against the famous Harry Potter."
"Yeah, right."
"You doubt my powers of persuasion?" Ron said jokingly. "I could charm your pants off!"
"Maybe," Harry said with a smile, "although I think you'd have better luck with Hermione."
"What? The thought never crossed my mind!"
"Oh really? I disagree." Harry said as he stared intently into Ron's eyes.
"Stop it, Harry." Ron said, suddenly sounding very serious.
"Stop what?"
"The Legilimency thing!"
"Oh. Sorry about that Ron. It just kinda...happens now."
"It's okay, just..try to keep a lid on it. There's...some things in here that I'm not ready to share with anyone yet. Not even you."
"Sorry, Ron. I'll try to be more careful."
The two friends finished packing their things in silence. When they were done they met up with Ginny and Hermione in the common room and set off for the main door of Hogwarts. They had the misfortune of running into Draco Malfoy on the way.
"Off to spend even more time with the Weasleys, Potter?" Draco said nastily. "I would think you would get enough of them during school."
"Why are you still here, Draco?" Ginny said with an obvious look of rage on her face.
"I'll be staying here for the holidays."
"Why?" Ron asked, sounding very suspicious.
"My reasons are my own, Weasley."
"Fine, it's not like we care anyway." Ron said as he continued walking. Harry ignored Draco, but he couldn't help wondering about what the sneaky Slytherin boy was up to.
***
The trip on the Hogwarts Express was very relaxing for Harry. For the first time he truly appreciated the unique experience of viewing the countryside by train. The landscape was covered in a new blanket of pure white snow, and the gentle rocking motion of the train was quite soothing.
When they arrived at King's Cross station they found Fred and George waiting for them. Harry and the Weasleys said goodbye to Hermione, then headed out to the car that the twins had acquired.
"I'll certainly be glad when you runts learn how to apparate." George teased. "We had to close up the shop early to come and get you."
"Imagine all the holiday sales we missed!" Fred added.
"Quit your whining." Ginny said. "It's not like you two are that dedicated to your work. I bet you didn't even come straight here."
"Little sister!" Fred laughed, swooning. "Your accusations are unkind and unfounded!"
When they arrived at the car, however, there were several boxes in the back seat (which was far more spacious than it looked from the outside) that bore the logos of several of the sweet shops in London.
"Unfounded, eh?" Ginny said to a very guilty looking Fred.
The twins' car was, of course, of the magical variety. It was an old, but shiny black Mini Cooper that flew a lot better than the old Ford Anglia Harry remembered. Harry later found out that the twins bought it and enchanted it themselves.
The trip to The Burrow was uneventful. When they arrived though, Harry did a bit of a double take. The ramshackle house that he remembered had undergone some renovations. The rooms that were once precariously positioned on the upper floors now bore straight walls and a new roof. Still, the place felt very familiar to Harry.
It felt like home.
"Harry!! It's good to see you again." Mrs. Weasley said as she rushed outside and gave him a hug.
"Hi, Mrs. Weasley."
"Ron, Ginny dear, come give your old mum a hug. I'm so happy to see all of you."
"Mum's been a bit bonkers with all this election stuff going on." Fred whispered into Harry's ear. "She's awfully huggy lately."
***
On Christmas Day Harry awoke in Ron's room. He could hear a lot of the familiar sounds that he missed the last time he was there. Ron was snoring softly, and Harry could hear quite a bit of noise coming from all the people downstairs. Harry found his glasses on Ron's nightstand and got dressed. He headed downstairs and discovered the source of all the noise.
The interior of the Burrow was wonderfully decorated in red and green tinsel. Mrs. Weasley was bustling about, setting things into motion with her wand. The sounds of pots clanking, knives cutting, and Weasleys laughing filled the entire house. Bill and Charlie had arrived and were having a rather energetic conversation about dragons. Ginny seemed to be keeping a close eye on the twins as they added even more decorations.
"Merry Christmas Harry!" Mr. Weasley said when he saw him.
"Merry Christmas, everyone." Harry replied sheepishly.
"Oy, Harry's up!" George yelled. "Time for presents!"
Harry enjoyed the opportunity to give presents to the Weasleys. It was a chance for him to show his appreciation to them for all their kindness and support. He enjoyed the wicked grins that appeared on the twins faces when they opened the fake exploding wands he had given them. Ginny's face lit up when she discovered that she now had a Chameleon Gem that rivaled Hermione's in beauty and brilliance. Bill got a great new Egyptian earring, and Charlie was quite happy to have a new set of Madam Blackberry's Burn Healing Potions. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to enjoy their self-heating slippers.
"What's all this then?" Ron appeared behind them, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, hello sleepyhead." Harry grinned.
"Harry, why didn't you wake me up?"
"You seemed to be having a good dream." Harry laughed. "Anyways, here, Merry Christmas." Harry handed Ron a small package.
"Wow, Harry..." Ron said when he opened the box, revealing a beautiful platinum ring. "You really didn't have to..."
"You said I never give you anything nice." Harry interrupted. "Now I have, so I don't want to hear anymore complaining."
"Oh you don't have to worry about that." Ron said as he slipped the ring on. It was a simple unmarked band of platinum, and it glinted brilliantly in the sunlight. The ring reminded Harry of Ron. It was plain and unremarkable, but valuable nonetheless.
"From us, Harry." Mr. Weasley said as he handed a very large box to Harry.
"Er...thanks...it's kind of...huge though."
"Yeah, we know how you get when people fuss over you so we just got you one gift from all of us." Ginny added.
Harry carefully removed the pretty red wrapping paper. He was quite surprised to find that the Weasley's had given him a brand new Seven-Lock Trunk, much like the one that Mad-Eye Moody had.
"We've noticed you've had a lot of things to pack these days." Mrs. Weasley said kindly.
"You're going to have to accept it," Mr. Weasley said, "people think you're a hero, and rightly so. They're going to keep giving you things because they appreciate you, and care about you. At least with this you'll have someplace to put everything."
"Thanks, guys." Harry really couldn't find the words to express his appreciation. He was deeply touched. It wasn't the gift so much as it was the thought and sentiment behind it that made him so emotional.
Harry spent the rest of the day having a great time with the Weasleys. Most of the time was spent in a massive snowball fight that reminded Harry of the Weasley Water War. All the Weasleys got involved this time, even Mrs. Weasley. She made sure to get a fair number of hits on Harry to get even.
When the Weasley Winter War was over, everyone relaxed inside with a warm cup of hot chocolate. Just after nightfall, there was a loud whoosh from the fireplace.
"Lupin!"
"Hey there Mr. Potter. Merry Christmas." Lupin said as he tossed a small parcel to Harry. Harry opened it and found a very nice gold watch with a lion engraved on the metal band.
"Every man should have a good timepiece." Lupin said with a smile.
"Oh Remus, it's so good to see you." Mrs. Weasley said as she gave him a hug.
"Thank you for inviting me, Molly. You really didn't need to make such a fuss."
"Nonsense, Remus. There's no way we would let you spend Christmas alone."
"So what have you been up to?" Harry asked as Lupin took a seat next to him.
"I've been making arrangements for Buckbeak mostly. He had been very lonely without Sirius. Hagrid helped me find a nice, remote Hippogriff enclave in Switzerland. He should be happy there. I've been going through a lot of Sirius' old things as well, trying to figure out what to do with them."
"Lupin," Harry asked as he lowered his voice to a whisper, "if you happen to come across a two-way mirror, could I maybe borrow it?"
"Wait a minute," Lupin said, lowering his voice as well, "you don't mean that pair of mirrors that Sirius and James came up with do you?"
"Yeah."
"If I come across them, I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Lupin. You should only find one though."
"Ah, I see." Remus said, suddenly understanding. "Well, I'll see what I can do to complete the set." Lupin suddenly broke out into a fit of growling coughs that drew a few stares from everyone.
"Are you okay, Lupin?" Harry asked.
"No, not really. Full moon tomorrow night."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I'll have to leave here early to make sure things go without any...complications."
"It must be hard to go through that without Sirius around for support."
"Don't worry about it Harry. I dealt with it for years before he came back, I can deal with it now."
Lupin tried his best to put on a smile, but Harry could tell that Lupin missed his friend's company dearly.
"So what's the news on the election, dad?" Charlie asked, drawing attention away from Lupin. "I hear Satchel's trying to come up with a smear campaign against you."
"I read about that!" Fred added. "There was an article in Witch Weekly about you being the father of two well-known delinquents! I couldn't believe it."
"You read Witch Weekly?" George asked.
"Now boys, it's Christmas." Mr. Weasley replied. "This is no time for politics. In fact, how about you strapping young men come and help me finish off the decorations outside."
Harry accompanied the Weasley fellows outside to the garage. Mr. Weasley produced a number of magic decorations, including a large statute of a portly man with a long white beard and rosy red cheeks.
"Ahh, good old jolly St. Nicholas," Mr. Weasley said, "in all his glory. He was one of us, you know."
"Santa Claus was a wizard?" Harry asked in astonishment.
"Well of course he was Harry." Ron said plainly as he untangled a group of enchanted Christmas lights. "Who else would show up in a chimney?"
Harry considered Ron's statement as he helped put the decorations around the house. When they were done the place was gleaming brilliantly. Although some might consider it somewhat tacky, Harry thought it was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.
"Boys, come back in now." Molly Weasley shouted out of the kitchen window. "Dinner's ready."
The meal reminded Harry of the Hogwarts feasts. Mrs. Weasley had prepared quite a lot of food. Among the cornucopia of dishes there were several turkeys, a very large ham, and enough stuffing to fill even Hagrid. Ron put food in his face at a rate that defied human physiology. Lupin claimed a whole turkey for himself, displaying more wolflike tendencies than Harry was really comfortable with.
When everyone had eaten their fill the residents of the Burrow settled in and exchanged stories of the happenings of their varied lives. Lupin left early as he had planned, but not before Mrs. Weasley had fussed over him some more.
Once Lupin had left Harry felt a bit sad, even with all the merriment around him. After a couple of hours of chatting with Bill and Ron about Quidditch, Harry decided to call it a night. He said goodnight to the Weasleys and headed up to Ron's room.
Harry was trying to figure out whether he should just sleep in his clothes when he heard some tapping sounds. Harry stopped in his tracks when he saw a shadow in the room cast by the bright moonlight. He turned to see a bird perched outside Ron's window. It was a very large and menacing looking creature that Harry instantly recognized as Draco's eagle owl.
Harry opened the window and took the small roll of paper from the bird's leg. The owl let out a gruff hoot, then took off. Harry quickly read the neat handwriting on the paper.
I have a present for you, Potty. I think I've found the location of a certain witch that you'd like to get even with. Details when you get back to Hogwarts. She won't be there for long though. If you want her, you'll have to come back soon. Tell no one. There are spies.
*****************************************************************************
Author's Notes:
This was a fun chapter. Lots of small things for you guys to ponder. Let me take care of some shoutouts on fanfiction.net :
Butler, thanks.
Skimbleshanks, thanks for sticking around so long.
PhoenixTearsp322, check me out on the harrypotterfanfiction.com shoutboard some time.
Quoth the raven, nice review!
Charlie Magnus, thanks for the great review.
Thanks to everyone that has left a review!
CHRISTMAS WITH THE WEASLEYS
Harry found himself in a familiar green pasture, lying on his back in a sea of dandelions. The sky was clear and blue, and the wind gently caressed his face. In the distance Harry could see a familiar figure dressed in white.
"Sirius?"
But Sirius didn't say anything back. He merely smiled and waved as he turned to walk away.
Harry opened his eyes and immediately realized that it had just been a dream. A very good dream, but a very sad one as well. There was something very...final about it. Deep inside, Harry knew that Sirius would no longer be visiting him in his dreams.
Still, there was something about what Luna had said earlier...
Harry put his sadness aside as he realized that he had overslept a little. He hurriedly got showered and dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. On his way through the common room he noticed that the usual hats and socks that Hermione left around were not present. Ron apparently had kept his promise to Dobby and convinced Hermione to stop her efforts.
As Harry walked through the halls he noticed a lot of his classmates looked very stressed. The N.E.W.T level students throughout Hogwarts were having a horrible time. End of term exams were just a few days away, and the instructors were in no way forgiving. At the end of every day Harry and his friends trounced up to the Gryffindor common room, exhausted. They had barely been able to fit in Quidditch practices. Max had also increased the difficulty of Harry's Legilimency lessons. Legilimency was now becoming like second nature for Harry, and sometimes he found himself using it without realizing what he was doing.
Harry was looking forward to the end of the term, but he knew that the next term was going to be even more difficult. Not only that, but each day brought Snape's return to Hogwarts closer. Harry had gotten very used to not seeing the potions master.
Harry arrived in the Great Hall and joined his friends at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione were wearing large top hats with "Weasley for Minister!" painted on the side in bright red. They were on a quest to increase support Ron's father in the election. Harry figured Mr. Weasley wouldn't need too much more help though, being the only Ministry official that was officially involved in Peter Pettigrew's capture.
"Hey there sleepyhead." Ron said as Harry sat down. Harry noticed that he was sitting next to Hermione instead of across from her as he usually did.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Harry groggily replied.
"I figured you needed the rest." Ron replied. "Besides, you seemed to be having a good dream. Did it involve anyone I know?" Ron added with a sly smile.
"That would be none of your business." Harry replied. "Don't you think it's time to take those hats off?"
"Of course not. Fudge still has a chance of winning this thing."
"He does?" Harry said, shocked. He wondered how anyone could still trust the man.
"Haven't you been paying attention to the election news?" Hermione said in an exasperated tone.
"Not really. I've had other things on my mind." Harry really had no interest in politics, Muggle or otherwise. He was more worried about keeping his friends alive. He was, however, glad to see Ron and Hermione working together on an issue they agreed on.
"Who else is running?" Harry asked.
"There are four different candidates at the moment." Hermione answered. "You know about Fudge and Mr. Weasley. Then there's Mafalda Hopkirk, the head of the Improper Use of Magic office. She's working the angle of keeping our world secret from the Muggles during Voldemort's attacks. She's also pushing for some hard penalties on Dark Magic use. There's also Barnabus Satchel, a member of the Wizengamot. He was the one that brought up Peter's possession by Voldemort in the trial."
"If Satchel gets in we're gonna be in a world of trouble." Ron said as he started to eat his eggs.
Harry recalled the smarmy wizard that had questioned him in Peter's trial.
"Mr. Weasley's chances look good though." Hermione continued. "He's perfectly qualified for the position, and he's the least likely to get corrupted. He also has a lot of good friends in the Ministry, and everyone knows the Weasley family is a good bunch. It's all quite exciting really." Hermione continued. "I wish I could vote in this election."
"You'll get your chance next time, Hermione." Harry stated as he grabbed a bagel. "That is, if you survive these Hogwarts courses."
"And the next term is supposed to be even harder!" Ron added. "I don't know how we're supposed to fit in Madam Hooch's Apparition classes."
Harry's mood picked up a bit when Ron mentioned the Apparition lessons. He couldn't wait to learn to apparate. Anything that lessened his number of trips through the Floo Network was a blessing.
"Oh quit complaining Ron," Hermione said, "it's only a handful classes. It's not like there's any homework to do, it's not even a graded course. You shouldn't have any trouble with it."
"I dunno, I remember Charlie having a bit of trouble with that test."
"You'll do fine." Hermione insisted. "You'll have me to help you...and Harry too of course. Oh, look at the time. We should head out for Hagrid's class."
The trio headed out into the chilly December morning. Just outside Hagrid's hut there was a large bonfire that burned bright blue flames. As soon as they got near it, they didn't feel nearly as cold, and there was no snow in a wide circular area around the flame.
"Gather 'round, gather 'round." Hagrid beckoned to the approaching students. "Now, we've spent all term with the crups, and I know ye all had a good time with 'em. I'm afraid it's time ter say goodbye though."
There were a few groans and sad faces in the crowd of students. Harry could tell that even Ron was a bit sad to see the crups go. Harry felt the same way. He had gotten very attached to Harvey, the exuberant little crup they had learned to train.
"Yep, yep." Hagrid continued. "Don't worry none, they'll be taken care of. You might even get ter see some of the same ones in yer N.E.W.T exams. I know you want to keep Oscar there Parvati and yer parents 'ave said okay so I'll have 'im brought to yer house. Anyways, we're movin' on now. Follow me."
The students followed Hagrid around the back of the hut to a set of large cages full of very furry red and brown creatures.
"Jarveys." Hagrid said. "They're kinda like ferrets. Now ya notice they have muzzles on 'em. That's cuz they can talk, see. They don't talk nice though, oh no no. They can't say nuthin' that ain't rude or insultin'. Now I warn yeh, don't get upset at 'em. They don't really know what they're sayin'."
All the students paired up and took one of the furry creatures. Once their muzzles were removed, the verbal assault began.
"Miserable little skank!" the fat Jarvey that Hermione was holding said in a high pitched voice.
"Uhm, Hagrid. Why are we learning to handle these...things?" Hermione asked with a distasteful look on her face.
"Well they're kinda useful Hermione." Hagrid said. "They're very smart. They chase off garden gnomes and knarls. Knarls hate ter be insulted."
Harry was trying to pay attention to Hagrid, but his focus was diverted when the squirming Jarvey in his arms yelled "You got scaly hands!"
"You're ugly!" one of the Jarveys yelled at Neville.
"You know, I kind of like these things." Ron said with a wicked grin.
The class busied themselves with the annoying new creatures, giving Harry the opportunity to ask Hagrid a question that had been nagging him.
"Uhm, Hagrid. How's your little brother doing?"
Harry recalled the letter he received from Hagrid that summer about Grawp. Immediately after the events in the forest with the centaurs, Dumbledore and Hagrid had apparently taken some new precautions.
"Oh he's doin' just fine, Harry. Dumbledore came by and put some great concealment charms around a spot in the forest. The centaurs can't even find 'im. You'll have to come see him in the spring. His English is gettin' pretty good."
After Hagrid's class Harry and his friends went back into the castle. The rest of the day's classes were pretty routine, consisting mostly of review material for the upcoming exams. When they arrived at Max's class later that afternoon though, they knew something was going to be different. At the front of the class was a large rectangular object that was concealed by a large sheet.
"Well, I think we've thoroughly covered a lot of topics this term," Max said when his students had arrived, "especially Sneakoscopes. Your exam for this term will include a fairly straightforward test of your knowledge of their mechanics. You won't have to successfully build one...yet. For next term, I think we should move on to the most intriguing of all the magical items you will study this year, magical mirrors. The information we will cover on this topic will be essential for the creation of your Foe Glasses." Max stepped over to the mystery object and pulled back the sheet. Ron and Harry were shocked...
It was the Mirror of Erised.
"Some of you may already be quite familiar with this mirror." Max said as he shot a quick glance at Ron and Harry. "It is the Mirror of Erised. It's quite a complicated piece of wizardry. The mirror shows the deepest desire of whoever gazes into it. The nature of this enchantment is very unique. We will be studying it next term."
"Aren't there ways of talking to someone through a mirror?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry. There are ways of communicating via mirrors. However, creating them is quite tricky. There are also certain restrictions put on how they can be used. It's almost a ban, really. You see, it can be very difficult to tell normal mirrors from magical ones. Two-way mirrors can be very easily used for spying. Actually, during my Hogwarts years a rather astute student managed to put one in one of the girls showers."
"A student in your year at Hogwarts was able to build a complex magical item?" Hermione said. "Hmmm, I wonder who it was?"
"That, Hermione, is still a subject of much debate." Max said with a wide grin. "The culprit's identity, however, remains unknown."
Exam week was just as Harry expected it would be: horrible. He was sure that Professor McGonnagall's Transfiguration exam had put several gray hairs on his head. Proffessor Grubbly-Plank had also given them an exam that covered nearly every ingredient they'd ever studied. Harry found Professor Flitwick's and Hagrid's exams less difficult, but Max and Professor Grok had put together some really tricky test questions. It took Harry almost twenty minutes to answer the first essay question on the curses test. After Max's test, Harry stayed behind for his last Legilimency lesson of the year.
"Are you getting impressions from Voldemort yet?" Max asked when everyone else had left.
"No, nothing recently. Should I be?"
"We don't have any indication that Voldemort knows about your Legilimency abilities yet, which means he's not actively trying to block you. This is still our greatest advantage over him."
"Alright, but I haven't gotten anything from him since the attack on Hogsmeade."
"You were able to get a clear view of what Voldemort was seeing because he was working through Peter, who was near you. I think that you may be ready to try a long-distance connection. You must find out where Voldemort is hiding. The election is coming up at the end of next month. Our intelligence suggests that he may try something to influence the voting."
"What's with this voting thing anyway?" Harry asked. "Aren't ministers usually selected by the Prime Minister?"
"Usually. But Muggle politicians have no place in wizard matters. It's best for us to handle our own political affairs. The Prime Minister acknowledges the unique nature of the Ministry of Magic. For the most part, we're left to our own devices. It's better that way. Now, about your lesson today. Professor Grok and I have been having some discussions on the nature of curse scars. I think that you have to switch your focus. The scar itself is the link between you and Voldemort. I believe that if you focus on the scar instead of Voldemort, you will have better results."
"Okay..." Harry said, confused.
"You're familiar with how Muggles use electricity, right Harry?"
"Yeah."
"Think of the scar as a metal wire." Max said. "It can carry power from one point to another, but the more power you put into it..."
"The hotter it gets."
"Exactly." Max confirmed.
"So this is going to hurt." Harry sighed.
"Yes, probably quite a bit. But it won't be anything that you haven't already experienced."
"Won't Voldemort know what's happening?"
"Probably not. The scar is on your head after all, not his. Now, if you two were to try to make a connection simultaneously...that might tip him off. It might also cause a great deal of harm to both of you, I'm not sure."
"So once again we're trying new things that might toast my brain."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Max said with a shrug. "Give it a try now."
Harry sat and tried to concentrate on the scar on his forehead. It was the one part of his body that had always felt familiar, yet foreign. There had always been something strange about it. Harry could feel the scar start to tingle. A hazy picture formed in his mind. Everything appeared to be shadows and globs of color, it seemed like Voldemort was moving...walking somewhere. He turned a corner and saw Severus Snape standing in front of him, wearing a very disturbing grin. Before Harry could see anything else, the vision went dark as Harry felt a flash of white hot pain in his head. When he got his wits about him again, he saw Max holding out a glass full of pinkish liquid.
"It's a painkilling potion. Hopefully it'll help."
"Thanks." Harry said quietly. The pain in his head wasn't the worst he had ever felt, but it certainly wasn't anything he wanted to deal with for much longer.
"See anything?" Max asked.
"Snape."
"Hmm, interesting. Anything else?"
"Nothing that was clear. It was really fuzzy around the edges."
"Could you hear what Snape was talking about?"
"No. He looked pretty pleased with himself though." Harry said. Max's potion was making him feel better already, and it even tasted good.
"Interesting."
"What's so interesting about it?"
Max let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose it's time to tell you this, but you'll have to keep it very secret. Snape hasn't been himself lately. He's been forgetting things. He told Dumbledore that he thinks that Voldemort hit him with an Obliviate."
"Why would he do that?"
"He may not trust Snape completely. It's taken a lot of work for us to get Voldemort to trust him at all. We've had to let Snape leak a lot of information on purpose. It's been very risky. Since he's been acting strange though, we've had to take some other precautions."
"So that's why he's coming back to Hogwarts so soon."
"Yes. It's not safe to have a double agent with memory loss. We're assuming that Snape saw something that Voldemort wasn't sure that he could trust him with. Our new game plan is to bring Snape back in and have him act like a mole inside of Hogwarts, providing information about our defenses. Hopefully the Death Eaters will fall for it. If not, at least Snape will be safe here."
"But we have to put up with him again."
Max smiled. "Think of it this way Harry, at least you know one of his weaknesses now. I overheard that little confrontation he had with Neville at the Quidditch match. Rather priceless, that was. I'm glad that Neville got some payback, but Snape really should have known about the Yggdrasil. They don't call him a potions master for nothing. With the memory loss though, there will be plenty of opportunities for such encounters if Snape steps out of line."
"You're a devious man, Max."
"Yes, I am. Don't tell anybody though, it's a secret."
"Understood. Well, I think I should get going and say goodbye to my friends before they leave for the holidays."
"Harry, before you go, keep in mind that we need you to be able to see into Voldemort's head soon. I know it's the holidays and all, but you will still need to practice."
"Fine. I'll try to fit it in." Harry said as he walked to the door. "Merry Christmas, Max."
"Same to you Harry."
On his way from Max's classroom Harry ran into Neville. "Hey, Nev. What are you still doing here?"
"Hey Harry. Uhm, I just decided to stay here for Christmas. I think I need some time alone, you know?"
"I know exactly how you feel, Neville." Harry figured that Neville had a lot of things to figure out in his life these days, and spending the holidays with his overbearing grandmother might not be the best thing for him.
Harry wished Neville a merry Christmas, then quickly walked back to the Gryffindor dorms. When he arrived he found Ron casting a variety of spells.
"Accio suitcase." One of Harry's suitcases flew over to Ron.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked.
"I'm helping you pack your stuff. You're spending Christmas with the Weasleys this year. No arguments."
"I don't know about that, Ron. Voldemort's still out there, and we still don't know what he's planning."
"Come on Harry, you need to get away from this place for awhile. Besides, everybody's dying to see you. You know how stubborn Weasleys can be. If you don't come to them, they'll come to you."
"Point taken." Harry said, smiling. "I guess I'll have to go then."
"The Weasley charm never fails. Not even against the famous Harry Potter."
"Yeah, right."
"You doubt my powers of persuasion?" Ron said jokingly. "I could charm your pants off!"
"Maybe," Harry said with a smile, "although I think you'd have better luck with Hermione."
"What? The thought never crossed my mind!"
"Oh really? I disagree." Harry said as he stared intently into Ron's eyes.
"Stop it, Harry." Ron said, suddenly sounding very serious.
"Stop what?"
"The Legilimency thing!"
"Oh. Sorry about that Ron. It just kinda...happens now."
"It's okay, just..try to keep a lid on it. There's...some things in here that I'm not ready to share with anyone yet. Not even you."
"Sorry, Ron. I'll try to be more careful."
The two friends finished packing their things in silence. When they were done they met up with Ginny and Hermione in the common room and set off for the main door of Hogwarts. They had the misfortune of running into Draco Malfoy on the way.
"Off to spend even more time with the Weasleys, Potter?" Draco said nastily. "I would think you would get enough of them during school."
"Why are you still here, Draco?" Ginny said with an obvious look of rage on her face.
"I'll be staying here for the holidays."
"Why?" Ron asked, sounding very suspicious.
"My reasons are my own, Weasley."
"Fine, it's not like we care anyway." Ron said as he continued walking. Harry ignored Draco, but he couldn't help wondering about what the sneaky Slytherin boy was up to.
The trip on the Hogwarts Express was very relaxing for Harry. For the first time he truly appreciated the unique experience of viewing the countryside by train. The landscape was covered in a new blanket of pure white snow, and the gentle rocking motion of the train was quite soothing.
When they arrived at King's Cross station they found Fred and George waiting for them. Harry and the Weasleys said goodbye to Hermione, then headed out to the car that the twins had acquired.
"I'll certainly be glad when you runts learn how to apparate." George teased. "We had to close up the shop early to come and get you."
"Imagine all the holiday sales we missed!" Fred added.
"Quit your whining." Ginny said. "It's not like you two are that dedicated to your work. I bet you didn't even come straight here."
"Little sister!" Fred laughed, swooning. "Your accusations are unkind and unfounded!"
When they arrived at the car, however, there were several boxes in the back seat (which was far more spacious than it looked from the outside) that bore the logos of several of the sweet shops in London.
"Unfounded, eh?" Ginny said to a very guilty looking Fred.
The twins' car was, of course, of the magical variety. It was an old, but shiny black Mini Cooper that flew a lot better than the old Ford Anglia Harry remembered. Harry later found out that the twins bought it and enchanted it themselves.
The trip to The Burrow was uneventful. When they arrived though, Harry did a bit of a double take. The ramshackle house that he remembered had undergone some renovations. The rooms that were once precariously positioned on the upper floors now bore straight walls and a new roof. Still, the place felt very familiar to Harry.
It felt like home.
"Harry!! It's good to see you again." Mrs. Weasley said as she rushed outside and gave him a hug.
"Hi, Mrs. Weasley."
"Ron, Ginny dear, come give your old mum a hug. I'm so happy to see all of you."
"Mum's been a bit bonkers with all this election stuff going on." Fred whispered into Harry's ear. "She's awfully huggy lately."
On Christmas Day Harry awoke in Ron's room. He could hear a lot of the familiar sounds that he missed the last time he was there. Ron was snoring softly, and Harry could hear quite a bit of noise coming from all the people downstairs. Harry found his glasses on Ron's nightstand and got dressed. He headed downstairs and discovered the source of all the noise.
The interior of the Burrow was wonderfully decorated in red and green tinsel. Mrs. Weasley was bustling about, setting things into motion with her wand. The sounds of pots clanking, knives cutting, and Weasleys laughing filled the entire house. Bill and Charlie had arrived and were having a rather energetic conversation about dragons. Ginny seemed to be keeping a close eye on the twins as they added even more decorations.
"Merry Christmas Harry!" Mr. Weasley said when he saw him.
"Merry Christmas, everyone." Harry replied sheepishly.
"Oy, Harry's up!" George yelled. "Time for presents!"
Harry enjoyed the opportunity to give presents to the Weasleys. It was a chance for him to show his appreciation to them for all their kindness and support. He enjoyed the wicked grins that appeared on the twins faces when they opened the fake exploding wands he had given them. Ginny's face lit up when she discovered that she now had a Chameleon Gem that rivaled Hermione's in beauty and brilliance. Bill got a great new Egyptian earring, and Charlie was quite happy to have a new set of Madam Blackberry's Burn Healing Potions. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to enjoy their self-heating slippers.
"What's all this then?" Ron appeared behind them, rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, hello sleepyhead." Harry grinned.
"Harry, why didn't you wake me up?"
"You seemed to be having a good dream." Harry laughed. "Anyways, here, Merry Christmas." Harry handed Ron a small package.
"Wow, Harry..." Ron said when he opened the box, revealing a beautiful platinum ring. "You really didn't have to..."
"You said I never give you anything nice." Harry interrupted. "Now I have, so I don't want to hear anymore complaining."
"Oh you don't have to worry about that." Ron said as he slipped the ring on. It was a simple unmarked band of platinum, and it glinted brilliantly in the sunlight. The ring reminded Harry of Ron. It was plain and unremarkable, but valuable nonetheless.
"From us, Harry." Mr. Weasley said as he handed a very large box to Harry.
"Er...thanks...it's kind of...huge though."
"Yeah, we know how you get when people fuss over you so we just got you one gift from all of us." Ginny added.
Harry carefully removed the pretty red wrapping paper. He was quite surprised to find that the Weasley's had given him a brand new Seven-Lock Trunk, much like the one that Mad-Eye Moody had.
"We've noticed you've had a lot of things to pack these days." Mrs. Weasley said kindly.
"You're going to have to accept it," Mr. Weasley said, "people think you're a hero, and rightly so. They're going to keep giving you things because they appreciate you, and care about you. At least with this you'll have someplace to put everything."
"Thanks, guys." Harry really couldn't find the words to express his appreciation. He was deeply touched. It wasn't the gift so much as it was the thought and sentiment behind it that made him so emotional.
Harry spent the rest of the day having a great time with the Weasleys. Most of the time was spent in a massive snowball fight that reminded Harry of the Weasley Water War. All the Weasleys got involved this time, even Mrs. Weasley. She made sure to get a fair number of hits on Harry to get even.
When the Weasley Winter War was over, everyone relaxed inside with a warm cup of hot chocolate. Just after nightfall, there was a loud whoosh from the fireplace.
"Lupin!"
"Hey there Mr. Potter. Merry Christmas." Lupin said as he tossed a small parcel to Harry. Harry opened it and found a very nice gold watch with a lion engraved on the metal band.
"Every man should have a good timepiece." Lupin said with a smile.
"Oh Remus, it's so good to see you." Mrs. Weasley said as she gave him a hug.
"Thank you for inviting me, Molly. You really didn't need to make such a fuss."
"Nonsense, Remus. There's no way we would let you spend Christmas alone."
"So what have you been up to?" Harry asked as Lupin took a seat next to him.
"I've been making arrangements for Buckbeak mostly. He had been very lonely without Sirius. Hagrid helped me find a nice, remote Hippogriff enclave in Switzerland. He should be happy there. I've been going through a lot of Sirius' old things as well, trying to figure out what to do with them."
"Lupin," Harry asked as he lowered his voice to a whisper, "if you happen to come across a two-way mirror, could I maybe borrow it?"
"Wait a minute," Lupin said, lowering his voice as well, "you don't mean that pair of mirrors that Sirius and James came up with do you?"
"Yeah."
"If I come across them, I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Lupin. You should only find one though."
"Ah, I see." Remus said, suddenly understanding. "Well, I'll see what I can do to complete the set." Lupin suddenly broke out into a fit of growling coughs that drew a few stares from everyone.
"Are you okay, Lupin?" Harry asked.
"No, not really. Full moon tomorrow night."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I'll have to leave here early to make sure things go without any...complications."
"It must be hard to go through that without Sirius around for support."
"Don't worry about it Harry. I dealt with it for years before he came back, I can deal with it now."
Lupin tried his best to put on a smile, but Harry could tell that Lupin missed his friend's company dearly.
"So what's the news on the election, dad?" Charlie asked, drawing attention away from Lupin. "I hear Satchel's trying to come up with a smear campaign against you."
"I read about that!" Fred added. "There was an article in Witch Weekly about you being the father of two well-known delinquents! I couldn't believe it."
"You read Witch Weekly?" George asked.
"Now boys, it's Christmas." Mr. Weasley replied. "This is no time for politics. In fact, how about you strapping young men come and help me finish off the decorations outside."
Harry accompanied the Weasley fellows outside to the garage. Mr. Weasley produced a number of magic decorations, including a large statute of a portly man with a long white beard and rosy red cheeks.
"Ahh, good old jolly St. Nicholas," Mr. Weasley said, "in all his glory. He was one of us, you know."
"Santa Claus was a wizard?" Harry asked in astonishment.
"Well of course he was Harry." Ron said plainly as he untangled a group of enchanted Christmas lights. "Who else would show up in a chimney?"
Harry considered Ron's statement as he helped put the decorations around the house. When they were done the place was gleaming brilliantly. Although some might consider it somewhat tacky, Harry thought it was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.
"Boys, come back in now." Molly Weasley shouted out of the kitchen window. "Dinner's ready."
The meal reminded Harry of the Hogwarts feasts. Mrs. Weasley had prepared quite a lot of food. Among the cornucopia of dishes there were several turkeys, a very large ham, and enough stuffing to fill even Hagrid. Ron put food in his face at a rate that defied human physiology. Lupin claimed a whole turkey for himself, displaying more wolflike tendencies than Harry was really comfortable with.
When everyone had eaten their fill the residents of the Burrow settled in and exchanged stories of the happenings of their varied lives. Lupin left early as he had planned, but not before Mrs. Weasley had fussed over him some more.
Once Lupin had left Harry felt a bit sad, even with all the merriment around him. After a couple of hours of chatting with Bill and Ron about Quidditch, Harry decided to call it a night. He said goodnight to the Weasleys and headed up to Ron's room.
Harry was trying to figure out whether he should just sleep in his clothes when he heard some tapping sounds. Harry stopped in his tracks when he saw a shadow in the room cast by the bright moonlight. He turned to see a bird perched outside Ron's window. It was a very large and menacing looking creature that Harry instantly recognized as Draco's eagle owl.
Harry opened the window and took the small roll of paper from the bird's leg. The owl let out a gruff hoot, then took off. Harry quickly read the neat handwriting on the paper.
I have a present for you, Potty. I think I've found the location of a certain witch that you'd like to get even with. Details when you get back to Hogwarts. She won't be there for long though. If you want her, you'll have to come back soon. Tell no one. There are spies.
*****************************************************************************
Author's Notes:
This was a fun chapter. Lots of small things for you guys to ponder. Let me take care of some shoutouts on fanfiction.net :
Butler, thanks.
Skimbleshanks, thanks for sticking around so long.
PhoenixTearsp322, check me out on the harrypotterfanfiction.com shoutboard some time.
Quoth the raven, nice review!
Charlie Magnus, thanks for the great review.
Thanks to everyone that has left a review!