AUTHOR'S NOTE: McGonagall couldn't decide whether to make Potter or Weasley
the Quiditch Captain. Remember who in OotP Dumbledore didn't make Harry a
Prefect because he wasn't sure he wanted to add that burden on top of
everything else for Harry? That's the dilemma they were at and that's why
they asked Harry. But it was Dumbledore who did the asking for McGonagall
because Harry had to be with Dumbledore at that part of the story for that
whole inheritance thing.
The first person Harry saw when he got inside was Molly Weasley, Ron's mum. "Harry, dear!" she whispered and enveloped him in a tight hug. "How are you? Skin and bones! We'll fix that. I've got dinner started. Ron and Hermione are upstairs in the room you stayed in last year."
Harry knew from her whispering that she was trying not to wake up the cranky portrait on the nearby wall. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He turned and went up the stairs.
"Mrs. Weasley added, "And that other boy is up there too. And Ginny."
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He wondered what other boy she was talking about. He opened the door. Sitting in the two beds inside were Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville. "Neville?" Harry gaped.
"Hi, Harry. My Gran joined the Order."
Hermione smiled. "We've been waiting for you, Harry."
"For me?"
"We've got to discuss the D.A."
"Okay," he said, sitting down on his bed next to Ginny, "what about it?"
"Harry," Ginny said with more than a touch of exasperation, "like whether or not there even will a D.A. this year? Not to mention all the details if there is one."
"For example when we're going to meet."
"How we pick members."
"And where we'll meet."
"And I'm supposed to figure this all out myself, am I?" asked Harry.
"Of course not," said Hermione. "That's why we're here."
"We all know Hermione is the brains of this operation," piped up Neville. He passed her ink, a quill, and parchment.
"Thanks, Neville." Hermione smiled.
"Wait, I'm not sure if we should keep the D.A. running," Harry said suddenly, and somewhat to his own surprise, not to mention the surprise of the others.
"What are you talking about?"
"We got the okay from Dumbledore."
"And the way things are going self defense is more important than ever."
"You can't be serious, Harry."
"Well, I am serious. I mean, who knows? Maybe our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher won't be totally useless this year."
"Harry, that's not the same and you know it," Hermione said firmly. "Whomsoever he or she is probably won't be able to tell us what it's really like to face Dark Wizards. You know. You understand."
"I guess.but something doesn't feel right."
"Harry, unless you have a better reason than that I think we should keep the D.A."
Harry was still uneasy. "That's right, if I quit who are you going to have run it? You could keep going without me, you know."
"How are we supposed to do that?"
"The four of you would be pretty good at running it. And you've got more experience than anybody else in the D.A." Harry pointed out.
"Other than you," pointed out Neville. "I don't know the details of all your little adventures and I don't want to know. But I do know that you know more about this than the rest of us. Lestrange is still out there and I'm going to make her pay!"
Harry suddenly realized that he had no choice. He had to keep this club running. Too many people had been hurt like he and Neville had. Moody's words from the summer before floated back to him. The Prewettes had died fighting like heroes. The Longbottoms' fate had been worse than death. Tortured to insanity by the same woman who killed Sirius. And Wormtail was still out there. He'd betrayed Harry's parents to their deaths and he was still out there. He was angry, "If you guys'll have me, I want to keep the D.A. open!" His voice was unusually harsh.
Hermione gave a satisfied smile. "Good. We thought so. Okay, so all in favor of still using the room of requirement as the meeting place?"
"Sounds good to me."
"Same."
"Me too."
"Yeah."
Hermione made a note on her parchment. "Everyone in favor of using the fake Galleons to arrange meeting times?" Everyone agreed. Another note. "Now, there's one more minor detail I want to cover. All in favor of evicting Cho Chang from the D.A., if she tries to come back?"
"I'm all for it. And if she won't leave, I've got methods to.persuade her." Ginny grinned in a manner not unlike that her twin brothers often used before or just after causing mischief. Ginny Weasley might be small but she could fight like mad and one of her hexes being thrown at you was nothing to joke about.
Ron pounded his fist into his palm. "I say we chuck her out."
"And Marietta too if she wants back in," said Neville. "Harry? What do you say?"
"I'm not so sure. The D.A. isn't against the rules anymore, so we don't have to worry about getting caught or anything. I think everyone who wants to learn to defend himself, or herself, should be allowed to."
"Oh, come off it, Harry. Just because you have a thing for Cho and you dated her is no reason to let her back in the D.A." said Neville.
Ginny blinked in surprise. "You never heard, Neville? They broke up like last Febuary. He doesn't even like her anymore. Can't stand her."
"Ginny, I can speak for myself. But she is right, Neville. The fact that I used to date Cho has nothing to do with it, it's just like-"
"Nobody tells me anything. But, wait, if he doesn't fancy Cho anymore then who does he fancy?" Neville asked Ginny.
"Nobody!" Harry said angrily. They weren't paying attention.
"Well, he hasn't said anything but I think he likes." Ginny whispered the name in Neville's ear.
His eyes widened. "Her? Never! Harry would never fancy her. Would you, Harry?"
"I don't know who you're talking about. Can we please get back on topic?" Harry felt the color rising in his cheeks.
"But this is the new topic. Oh, all right, have it your way, Harry. I'll talk to you about it later, Neville." Ginny said that last part in a whisper.
"I was thinking," said Ron, loudly in case his sister decided to do anymore talking. "And I think the D.A. should have a Headquarters, other than the room of requirement."
"Where would you suggest?"
"The Shrieking Shack. It's perfect."
"That place is haunted!" said Neville.
"It's a long story but it's not haunted," said Harry.
"Not anymore," said Hermione. "It used to be haunted by a werewolf though."
There was a knock at the door. Mr. Weasley popped his head inside and said cheerfully, "Dinner."
"We'll be right down, Dad."
"Okay." He left.
"So where's your Gran, Neville?"
"Out on some business or other for Dumbledore, I think," he answered. "I'm staying here 'til September."
Now that he was at number 12 and with his friends again, Harry found the summer passing much too quickly for his liking. The five of them hung out together most of the time. They visited Fred and George several times at their joke shop. The twins weren't staying at Grimmauld Place; they were looking after the Burrow and holding down the fort there since their parents weren't home. Bill and Charlie, Ron's two oldest brothers, were staying at Grimmauld Place as well, though they were hardly around.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were recruited by Mrs. Weasley to help further decontaminate the house and make it livable. Sirius's family had been dark wizards and until last summer when the Order of the Phoenix set up headquarters here it'd been empty the ten years since Sirius's mother had died.
The previous summer they'd done a lot of the clean-up work, this summer they had to do more. All sorts of vile things infected the place.
It was down to the last week before school started and Harry went to the one place he'd been dreading to go, because he knew it would hurt too much. But he'd have to do it, Lupin had been right when he said he'd have to deal with Sirius's death. Harry opened the door to Sirius's room and stepped inside.
Inside was a comfortable looking bed. There was a rug on the floor, old clothes lie rumpled on top of it; Sirius had never been a very neat person. Harry looked at the window and noticed something, a carving; Harry didn't doubt that it was Sirius'. It said, "I hate my parents. My family is crazy. If I have to stay here one more day I'll go mad." Harry couldn't tell if Sirius had carved the words as a child or this past year. Sirius had thought himself free of this house of horror when he ran away at age sixteen; coming back had surely torn him apart. Harry could imagine the same happening with him and the Dursleys.
Harry noticed the nightstand by the bedside and saw parchment resting on top. There was a letter there, started, but never finished and never sent. He picked it up and began to read. It was addressed to him.
Dear Harry,
There are some things I wanted to get off my chest. Look, you're like the son I never had and the kid brother I wish I'd had instead of Regulus. You and me, we're birds of a feather. I'm going stir crazy here and I know you would too. Can't you imagine what it'd be like if you had to go back to the Dursleys after you thought you'd be gone from them and their house forever? I feel useless here. And I feel like I failed you as a godfather. All those years when I was locked up, when I wasn't thinking about Lilly and James, I was thinking about you. Some godfather I am, right? If I would have known what was going on at the Dursleys, I would have.I don't know but I would have tried harder to get out of there sooner, Harry.
Your dad and I were like brothers, Harry. Kind of like you and your friend Ron. Don't let go of that friendship, Harry. Listen to Molly, will you? She's got your best interests at heart and she was able to be there for you when I couldn't. She's right; you're as good as being her own blood born son.
James and I made a promise, Harry. James, Remus, and I. Did I tell you James was an only child? We were as much brothers as he needed. When you were born we said that as long as any of us lived you were going to be all right. Remus is as fond of you as I am and I care about you as much as James did. Look, Harry, I'm probably never going to get married; almost the whole world thinks I'm a crazed killer. Even the Muggles do. Remus said he won't marry either, because he's a werewolf and he doesn't want to put anyone at risk. If he did get married and have a kid it's a fifty-fifty chance that the kid would be a werewolf. I guess what I'm trying to say, Harry, is that we care about you. So even if you think we aren't doing the right thing by you, like having you under constant watch this past summer, but it's only 'cause we care so much. You're like a son and a nephew to us. You're the only family I need. I'm leaving everything to you, including this house, though I can't imagine why you'd want the house. But, seeing as your parents' house was blown up because of that no good dirty rat, at least this is a place and you're always welcome here with me. I can't wait to teach you how to ride my flying motorcycle. I keep a set of keys in the desk in my room and a set in my vault. The motorcycle is in the cupboard under the stairs.
I've got to tell you something about your aunt. She's not as dumb as she seems about the wizard world. She knows things. I got the story from Lilly herself. The truth is
The letter ended there. Harry knew it was Sirius's handwriting. He scrubbed the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand and sat down on the bed to reread the letter. The date was the same as the day Sirius had died.
Harry didn't hear the footsteps until Lupin was right beside him.
"Hello, Harry."
"Professor.I-"
"You left the door open, I thought I'd come in and say hello. I haven't been in here since before he died. No one has."
"He wrote this." Harry showed him the letter.
"Sirius." Lupin chuckled. "He's right you know."
"About what?"
"About all of it. The three of us were like brothers. Granted they were even closer than I was, after all they had all that time in detention together. Even when they were in separate detentions they still talked using those magic mirrors of theirs. I wonder if he still has those?" he mused.
Harry's eyes frantically scanned the room.
The first person Harry saw when he got inside was Molly Weasley, Ron's mum. "Harry, dear!" she whispered and enveloped him in a tight hug. "How are you? Skin and bones! We'll fix that. I've got dinner started. Ron and Hermione are upstairs in the room you stayed in last year."
Harry knew from her whispering that she was trying not to wake up the cranky portrait on the nearby wall. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He turned and went up the stairs.
"Mrs. Weasley added, "And that other boy is up there too. And Ginny."
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He wondered what other boy she was talking about. He opened the door. Sitting in the two beds inside were Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville. "Neville?" Harry gaped.
"Hi, Harry. My Gran joined the Order."
Hermione smiled. "We've been waiting for you, Harry."
"For me?"
"We've got to discuss the D.A."
"Okay," he said, sitting down on his bed next to Ginny, "what about it?"
"Harry," Ginny said with more than a touch of exasperation, "like whether or not there even will a D.A. this year? Not to mention all the details if there is one."
"For example when we're going to meet."
"How we pick members."
"And where we'll meet."
"And I'm supposed to figure this all out myself, am I?" asked Harry.
"Of course not," said Hermione. "That's why we're here."
"We all know Hermione is the brains of this operation," piped up Neville. He passed her ink, a quill, and parchment.
"Thanks, Neville." Hermione smiled.
"Wait, I'm not sure if we should keep the D.A. running," Harry said suddenly, and somewhat to his own surprise, not to mention the surprise of the others.
"What are you talking about?"
"We got the okay from Dumbledore."
"And the way things are going self defense is more important than ever."
"You can't be serious, Harry."
"Well, I am serious. I mean, who knows? Maybe our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher won't be totally useless this year."
"Harry, that's not the same and you know it," Hermione said firmly. "Whomsoever he or she is probably won't be able to tell us what it's really like to face Dark Wizards. You know. You understand."
"I guess.but something doesn't feel right."
"Harry, unless you have a better reason than that I think we should keep the D.A."
Harry was still uneasy. "That's right, if I quit who are you going to have run it? You could keep going without me, you know."
"How are we supposed to do that?"
"The four of you would be pretty good at running it. And you've got more experience than anybody else in the D.A." Harry pointed out.
"Other than you," pointed out Neville. "I don't know the details of all your little adventures and I don't want to know. But I do know that you know more about this than the rest of us. Lestrange is still out there and I'm going to make her pay!"
Harry suddenly realized that he had no choice. He had to keep this club running. Too many people had been hurt like he and Neville had. Moody's words from the summer before floated back to him. The Prewettes had died fighting like heroes. The Longbottoms' fate had been worse than death. Tortured to insanity by the same woman who killed Sirius. And Wormtail was still out there. He'd betrayed Harry's parents to their deaths and he was still out there. He was angry, "If you guys'll have me, I want to keep the D.A. open!" His voice was unusually harsh.
Hermione gave a satisfied smile. "Good. We thought so. Okay, so all in favor of still using the room of requirement as the meeting place?"
"Sounds good to me."
"Same."
"Me too."
"Yeah."
Hermione made a note on her parchment. "Everyone in favor of using the fake Galleons to arrange meeting times?" Everyone agreed. Another note. "Now, there's one more minor detail I want to cover. All in favor of evicting Cho Chang from the D.A., if she tries to come back?"
"I'm all for it. And if she won't leave, I've got methods to.persuade her." Ginny grinned in a manner not unlike that her twin brothers often used before or just after causing mischief. Ginny Weasley might be small but she could fight like mad and one of her hexes being thrown at you was nothing to joke about.
Ron pounded his fist into his palm. "I say we chuck her out."
"And Marietta too if she wants back in," said Neville. "Harry? What do you say?"
"I'm not so sure. The D.A. isn't against the rules anymore, so we don't have to worry about getting caught or anything. I think everyone who wants to learn to defend himself, or herself, should be allowed to."
"Oh, come off it, Harry. Just because you have a thing for Cho and you dated her is no reason to let her back in the D.A." said Neville.
Ginny blinked in surprise. "You never heard, Neville? They broke up like last Febuary. He doesn't even like her anymore. Can't stand her."
"Ginny, I can speak for myself. But she is right, Neville. The fact that I used to date Cho has nothing to do with it, it's just like-"
"Nobody tells me anything. But, wait, if he doesn't fancy Cho anymore then who does he fancy?" Neville asked Ginny.
"Nobody!" Harry said angrily. They weren't paying attention.
"Well, he hasn't said anything but I think he likes." Ginny whispered the name in Neville's ear.
His eyes widened. "Her? Never! Harry would never fancy her. Would you, Harry?"
"I don't know who you're talking about. Can we please get back on topic?" Harry felt the color rising in his cheeks.
"But this is the new topic. Oh, all right, have it your way, Harry. I'll talk to you about it later, Neville." Ginny said that last part in a whisper.
"I was thinking," said Ron, loudly in case his sister decided to do anymore talking. "And I think the D.A. should have a Headquarters, other than the room of requirement."
"Where would you suggest?"
"The Shrieking Shack. It's perfect."
"That place is haunted!" said Neville.
"It's a long story but it's not haunted," said Harry.
"Not anymore," said Hermione. "It used to be haunted by a werewolf though."
There was a knock at the door. Mr. Weasley popped his head inside and said cheerfully, "Dinner."
"We'll be right down, Dad."
"Okay." He left.
"So where's your Gran, Neville?"
"Out on some business or other for Dumbledore, I think," he answered. "I'm staying here 'til September."
Now that he was at number 12 and with his friends again, Harry found the summer passing much too quickly for his liking. The five of them hung out together most of the time. They visited Fred and George several times at their joke shop. The twins weren't staying at Grimmauld Place; they were looking after the Burrow and holding down the fort there since their parents weren't home. Bill and Charlie, Ron's two oldest brothers, were staying at Grimmauld Place as well, though they were hardly around.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were recruited by Mrs. Weasley to help further decontaminate the house and make it livable. Sirius's family had been dark wizards and until last summer when the Order of the Phoenix set up headquarters here it'd been empty the ten years since Sirius's mother had died.
The previous summer they'd done a lot of the clean-up work, this summer they had to do more. All sorts of vile things infected the place.
It was down to the last week before school started and Harry went to the one place he'd been dreading to go, because he knew it would hurt too much. But he'd have to do it, Lupin had been right when he said he'd have to deal with Sirius's death. Harry opened the door to Sirius's room and stepped inside.
Inside was a comfortable looking bed. There was a rug on the floor, old clothes lie rumpled on top of it; Sirius had never been a very neat person. Harry looked at the window and noticed something, a carving; Harry didn't doubt that it was Sirius'. It said, "I hate my parents. My family is crazy. If I have to stay here one more day I'll go mad." Harry couldn't tell if Sirius had carved the words as a child or this past year. Sirius had thought himself free of this house of horror when he ran away at age sixteen; coming back had surely torn him apart. Harry could imagine the same happening with him and the Dursleys.
Harry noticed the nightstand by the bedside and saw parchment resting on top. There was a letter there, started, but never finished and never sent. He picked it up and began to read. It was addressed to him.
Dear Harry,
There are some things I wanted to get off my chest. Look, you're like the son I never had and the kid brother I wish I'd had instead of Regulus. You and me, we're birds of a feather. I'm going stir crazy here and I know you would too. Can't you imagine what it'd be like if you had to go back to the Dursleys after you thought you'd be gone from them and their house forever? I feel useless here. And I feel like I failed you as a godfather. All those years when I was locked up, when I wasn't thinking about Lilly and James, I was thinking about you. Some godfather I am, right? If I would have known what was going on at the Dursleys, I would have.I don't know but I would have tried harder to get out of there sooner, Harry.
Your dad and I were like brothers, Harry. Kind of like you and your friend Ron. Don't let go of that friendship, Harry. Listen to Molly, will you? She's got your best interests at heart and she was able to be there for you when I couldn't. She's right; you're as good as being her own blood born son.
James and I made a promise, Harry. James, Remus, and I. Did I tell you James was an only child? We were as much brothers as he needed. When you were born we said that as long as any of us lived you were going to be all right. Remus is as fond of you as I am and I care about you as much as James did. Look, Harry, I'm probably never going to get married; almost the whole world thinks I'm a crazed killer. Even the Muggles do. Remus said he won't marry either, because he's a werewolf and he doesn't want to put anyone at risk. If he did get married and have a kid it's a fifty-fifty chance that the kid would be a werewolf. I guess what I'm trying to say, Harry, is that we care about you. So even if you think we aren't doing the right thing by you, like having you under constant watch this past summer, but it's only 'cause we care so much. You're like a son and a nephew to us. You're the only family I need. I'm leaving everything to you, including this house, though I can't imagine why you'd want the house. But, seeing as your parents' house was blown up because of that no good dirty rat, at least this is a place and you're always welcome here with me. I can't wait to teach you how to ride my flying motorcycle. I keep a set of keys in the desk in my room and a set in my vault. The motorcycle is in the cupboard under the stairs.
I've got to tell you something about your aunt. She's not as dumb as she seems about the wizard world. She knows things. I got the story from Lilly herself. The truth is
The letter ended there. Harry knew it was Sirius's handwriting. He scrubbed the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand and sat down on the bed to reread the letter. The date was the same as the day Sirius had died.
Harry didn't hear the footsteps until Lupin was right beside him.
"Hello, Harry."
"Professor.I-"
"You left the door open, I thought I'd come in and say hello. I haven't been in here since before he died. No one has."
"He wrote this." Harry showed him the letter.
"Sirius." Lupin chuckled. "He's right you know."
"About what?"
"About all of it. The three of us were like brothers. Granted they were even closer than I was, after all they had all that time in detention together. Even when they were in separate detentions they still talked using those magic mirrors of theirs. I wonder if he still has those?" he mused.
Harry's eyes frantically scanned the room.