Disclaimer: Harry Potter is from the creative genius that is J.K. Rowling. I am not her. This is merely a fan fiction to tide us over until Book 6.
Monday morning brought classes and also the presence of several Order members. Tonks, Lupin as well as Fred, George and Bill Weasley were all at the Gryffindor table by dinner.
"Fancy a game of quidditch later?" Bill asked. "I'm eager to play a game with the youngest seeker in a century there Harry."
"Can I play too?" Tonks asked. "I haven't played in the longest time."
"Sure," Harry agreed. "Maybe we'll be able to have a practice game if we get enough people."
"I'll play," Ginny said happily, a mischief glint in her eye as she looked at Harry. "I have to go back to the common room first and get something though."
"All right."
Twenty minutes later out on the pitch, the teams were eventually divided. Harry was the seeker for his team, which included Ron as keeper, Fred as a beater and Tonks as a chaser. Ginny was the seeker for the other team, with George being beater, Bill chaser and Lupin the keeper. Hermione was acting scorekeeper.
"We'll win for sure Harry!" Ron called out as they took to the skies.
"I wouldn't bet on it," George said.
"I will," Bill said.
"I'll take that bet," Ginny said smiling brightly.
"Sorry sis, but I don't think you're going to beat Harry to the snitch," Bill said.
"We'll see," she laughed as she took off. It never occurred to Harry until half an hour later that maybe he should have worried about that laugh.
He was searching the pitch for a glint of gold when he noticed Ginny pull up a few feet from him. Unlike other seekers who just watched Harry, she was also looking around for the snitch.
"Give up you can't win Gin," he said teasing as he caught her attention.
"Oh yes I can. Want to know why Harry?" she asked smirking.
"Why?"
Ginny gave him a smirk rival to anything he had every seen grace Draco Malfoy's face. "Because I'm wearing my quidditch knickers," she nearly purred.
Harry felt his mouth go dry. "I – I don't believe you," he croaked.
Ginny shrugged, her eyes catching a golden glint by the goal behind Harry. Smiling, she winked at him before slightly lowering one shoulder of her shirt.
Oh no she wasn't! Harry thought as his eyes nearly popped out of his head as he saw a glimpse of a red strap. Another glance over proved that she was.
"Want to catch the snitch Harry?" she teased before taking off on her broom past him.
Harry didn't even notice as he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths trying to stop the blood that seemed to be pounding in his ears deafening everything else out. He was certain the reason his cheeks were bright red had nothing to do with the windburn he was currently getting and all to do with Ginny Weasley.
Harry kept his eyes closed hoping to get his thoughts and the rest of him under control. In fact it wasn't he felt a hand on his shoulder that he opened his eyes.
"Harry, you all right there?" Bill Weasley asked. "The game's been over for 10 minutes."
"It has?"
"Yes," Bill said looking at Harry like he needed to go to St. Mungo's. "You didn't even try for the snitch."
"I wasn't planning to until there was a ring," Harry muttered.
"You mean you were waiting for us to get another goal? Blimey, Harry it wouldn't have done any good."
Harry just shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Nevermind."
"All right," Bill said still looking at Harry as if he was losing it. "Let's just get down on the ground, 'kay? Are you sure you're all right? Ginny didn't put a jinx on you did she?"
"In a way," Harry muttered to himself as he and Bill glided down to the ground.
"Thanks to you I owe George and Ginny a couple galleons," Bill complained as they landed.
"I might not have even caught it anyway," Harry said with a still glazed expression on his face. "Hurt my finger the other day."
"Really? How'd you manage that?" Bill asked as he walked ahead of Harry to where the rest of the group was.
"Oh," Harry said, his mind not completely there. "There was a booby trap."
Bill turned around so quick, Harry was certain he got whiplash. It was then the boy-who-lived realized what EXACTLY he said and to whom.
"What did you say?" Bill snarled approaching him menacingly.
"I er," he started before he saw Ginny bounding over to them.
"Is there a problem?" Ginny said grinning happily as she skipped over to Bill and Harry. Placing her arm around Harry she snuggled into him, which just made Bill glare harder. Harry wondered if he would soon be referred to as the boy-who-got-maimed-by-six-brothers.
"Your boyfriend," Bill growled, his eyes never leaving Harry's. "Was trying to explain how exactly he hurt his finger."
"Well how in the blazes was he suppose to know you idiots put a curse on my bra?" snapped Ginny sending lethal glares at her eldest brother.
Unfortunately, Ginny's glare was nothing compared to what Harry was receiving from Bill as well as the twins after hearing that bit of information. Harry closed his eyes as he heard someone cracking their knuckles. He doubted he could summon his broom and try to out run the three of them before they put him in the infirmary for a long time.
Never before had Harry wished for a Death Eater attack, but now he was praying for it. Unfortunately today someone was listening.
An explosion filled the sky above Hogsmeade as the Dark Mark rose into the sky.
"Don't think this is over Potter," Bill yelled as he, Lupin and Fred and George took off toward town.
"Get back into the castle all of you!" Tonks shouted as she tried to usher Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and about 20 other students who were outside. In all the madness, no one noticed a small redheaded girl head off to the whomping willow.
There was pandemonium inside the castle. McGonagall yelled for the prefects to get all the students into the common rooms. Harry saw Hermione grab Ron and drag him off to help. Ron looked at his friend and nodded. He knew were Harry was headed.
Harry ran through the hallways headed toward the one-eyed witch statue. He caught a glimpse of Prof. Snape bellowing down the hall in the opposite direction. Harry briefly wondered who side he would be on, before ducking behind the statue and taking the tunnel to Honeydukes.
Harry had to use a spell to blast through to the basement of Honeydukes. Several crates and other items had been knocked over the opening. It was apparent Death Eaters had already been here.
Racing up the stairs, Harry ducked behind the display cases of ice mice and snake cakes as he glanced around the shop. The front window was busted out and what was left of the chocolate fountain up front was flowing down from the ceiling and walls. Harry ran to the doorway, looking out at the street, he made sure it was clear before taking off to Weasley Wizard Wheezes.
Turning the corner, Harry stopped in his tracks. WWWs looked like a potion lesson gone wrong. Things were oozing off the outside walls. Harry saw a few Death Eaters struggling to get out of the goo. The doorway was tore open. The only part of the door still there was the bell barely hanging on the frame. To top it all off there was some God-awful noise coming from the shop.
"Harry duck!" yelled a familiar voice from Zonko's.
Harry just managed to dodge a bludgeoning spell that was sent his way as he threw himself behind a display at Zonko's.
"Wondering when you'd join the party Potter," Fred said as he cast a spell at a group of Death Eaters that had just turned onto the street.
"Was there any doubt?" Harry asked sending a spell out.
"Not really," George answered throwing a spell at the WWWs shop. "How you like the music?"
"What music?" Harry asked before the odd noise that he was hearing intensified.
"Her-MION-e, be Mine-e," bellowed an offkey piercingly loud voice, causing almost everyone on the street to cringe.
"What in Merlin's name is that sound?" Harry yelled out to the twins as a spell shot by his ear.
"That's be Ron," Fred said as he cast a spell at the approaching Death eaters before ducking behind the display with George.
"Singing in the shower," George said casting a spell.
"Professing his eternal love," Fred continued as a barrage of spells struck around them.
"For the fair Hermione," George said as he tossed something at Harry before the twins flung themselves over to behind the counter, where Harry was.
"Best put these on mate," Fred said, sticking something into his ears. "Little Ronnekins is about to put Howlers to shame."
"If this doesn't get those Death Eaters nothing will," George said as he pointed his wand at the bell still hanging at the top of the doorway to what was Weasley Wizard Wheezes. "Sonorus!"
Harry quickly shoved whatever George had thrown to him into his ears. Soon the sound of Ron's voice was tune out. He could still hear the sound of spells and everyone else around him though, including the Death Eaters reactions to the sound of Ron's singing.
Harry saw two of the Death Eaters, who had made the unfortunate mistake of trying to seek some sort of shelter by WWWs drop their wands to cover their ears. Quickly, Fred and George cast binding spells around them.
The remaining Death Eaters were having a hard time casting their spells as they cringed at probably some very offkey notes. It made them very easy pickings for the three Gryffindors. They were just about finished with what remained in that area when a tall redhead zagged into the street. The long hair made Harry do a double take to ensure it wasn't Ginny. It wasn't Bill's hair had come loose from its tie as he assessed the situation quickly before yelling over to Fred and George.
"Will you please stop that thing from singing!" snapped Bill angrily, as he stunned the last Death Eater on that street. "Not all of the Order members have one of your muting contraptions."
"Haven't the two of you ever heard of cruel and unusual punishment?" Tonks snipped running up beside Bill. "Come on I need you two jokers' help at the Three Broomsticks. Harry, for Merlin's sakes get back to Hogwarts!"
Fred nodded and cast a spell at the bell before yanking the devices out of his ears. George and Harry followed suit, however the singing did not go away entirely.
"Even when you're ranting about SPEW, I still love you …" the voice sang.
"Maybe after this we should pay for singing lessons," George said as he ran toward Three Broomsticks.
"You heard Tonks Harry," Fred said as he pushed him toward the Shrieking Shack. "Get back to Hogwarts. We'll take things from here."
"But –"
"No buts, Harry," Fred said. "If Ginny knew I let you stay here a bat-boogey would be the least of my troubles. Now go!"
With that, Fred took off at a dead sprint toward the Three Broomsticks.
Determined he would help out as much as he could, Harry went to take the long way to the Three Broomsticks. He was about three blocks away when he heard a spell go off. It wasn't the type of spell that got his attention, but the voice that said it.
He knew that voice! His heart leapt into his throat as he took off toward the sound. Surely, she wouldn't be here, he thought frantically to himself. Not Ginny!
All in all Ginny thought she was handling things pretty well. I mean after all, she knocked out three Death Eaters in the tunnel alone coming here. One of those looked a bit like Ron's rat, Scabbers. Currently all three were bound, gagged and bat-boogey hexed on top of it.
She was currently battling what she believed to be the tenth Death Eater. Every one she stopped was one less to go after Harry. Unfortunately, this one was a lot better than the others she had battled.
She was bruised in quite a few places and for some strange reason her ankle – the one that got broke at the Ministry was bothering her. Limping, she made her way behind some crates by the owl post only to have it explode a moment later. Ginny went flying backwards, the wind knocked out of her as she hit the back of the building and slid down.
Opening her eyes, she saw the Death Eater step on her wand with his shinny black boots, before he took off his ivory mask.
"Hello girl," snarled Lucius Malfoy. "So we meet again. I think this time I shall kill you the muggle way. I'm sure that's something your muggle-loving family will appreciate – one less mouth to feed."
Ginny struggled as Malfoy wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed.
Only one thought rushed through Harry's head as he turned the corner to see Lucius Malfoy pick Ginny up by her throat and squeeze.
No one harms her, he thought as he felt his love for Ginny, his hate for the Death Eaters and his determination to keep his loved one safe pool together before exploding around him.
The magical shockwave that was emitted struck out so powerful and so far that a portly gentleman siting Number 4 Privet Drive had to look up from his evening paper and exclaim, "What in the bloody hell was that?"
Moody and Lupin raced to the focal point of the shockwave. They had been with Tonks and the twins at the Three Broomsticks when it went out. It had managed to do more damage to the Death Eaters than to Order members and Aurors thank goodness. There was now about 35 Death Eaters being bound and ready for Azkaban. However, no one had any idea what had caused the shockwave.
Turning the corner by the owl post, the two wizards stopped dead in their tracks. All the Death Eaters around them were knocked out and mysteriously floating in mid-air. In a way, it reminded Lupin of the depictions of Vlad the Impaler's victims – minus the impaling and death of course. There was a magically hubble past the bodies. Both wizards could see the raw power emitting from it.
In the center of the hubble, Harry cradled Ginny in his arms. Ginny's hands were in Harry's hair as the two of them were engaged in what was the most passionate and heartfelt kiss either Order member had ever seen. To add to the unusual scene, there were five ghostly figures, more like wisps of a patronus. Two of the figures appeared to be small children. The other three, however, both men recognized right away although their brains could not process the information.
Ginny was the first one to notice the two men as she reluctantly pulled her lips away from Harry's to allow the two to breathe.
"Harry," she whispered her voice still coarse from when she had been choked. "I believe we are being watched."
Harry raised his head to see Professor Lupin and Mad-eye Moody looking at them, both with disbelieving expressions. Normally it would have been funny to see the two men with their jaws dropped to the floor, but not today.
Nodding Harry lowered the shield he had put around Ginny and him and scooped her off the ground. The harshness of the outside realty came back to him, and he vowed to make sure nothing ever happened to Ginny again.
"I'm taking you to the hospital wing, Gin," he whispered to her.
Lupin and Moody watched the shield go down and Harry pick Ginny up. However, as the shield went down the amount of magic in the air increased. It was easy to tell it was radiating off Harry. As he passed the Order members he only said one phrase.
Harry uttered only five words, and those five words caused shivers to roll down both the Order member's spines, especially when they saw the angry red marks that were around Ginny's neck as she snuggled into Harry for comfort and the fury in Harry's eyes as he looked at the crumpled Death Eaters.
"They will not touch her," he growled as he stood up and carried Ginny Weasley to the infirmary wing at Hogwarts.
The amount of power still radiating off Harry was staggering and terrifying. Everyone from Order members to villagers and professors to students cut him a wide berth as he walked to the castle.
The castle doors burst open with so much force there was nothing left of them but merely splinters. Several nearby professors expected Death Eaters to come into the castle, instead a determined looking Harry entered carrying Ginny Weasley as if she was the most precious thing in the world.
The amount of magically energy surrounding them was staggering, causing many to back off in fear. All the professors were glad the students had been sent to their dormitories, for this was surely a sight.
Even Snape, arm still bleeding from a wound, knew not to bother the two as he opened the door to the infirmary and let the couple enter before him.
Inside, everyone was scared and in awe of the power Harry seemed to be emitting. As he stepped into the infirmary, even Molly Weasley was so intimidated, that she did not even try to rush to her daughter and the boy she considered her son as they entered the room.
"I want her healed now!" Harry ordered as he gingerly sat Ginny Weasley down on one of the few empty beds in the infirmary.
"Harry, I can wait," Ginny said unwrapping her arms from around his neck.
"No," Harry said in both a loving and determined tone.
The infirmary matron stood astounded both by the power and by audacity of the young man before her.
"Mr. Potter I assure you there are more serious cases –"
"HEAL HER NOW," he commanded as a small magically wave burst through the hospital wing causing everyone to shudder.
Madam Pomfrey nodded in shock and rushed over to Ginny Weasley. A quick analysis showed a bruised windpipe as well as several cuts and bruises, the most dominate being by her neck. Her one ankle also was swelled.
Harry sat down in the seat next to Ginny's bed and took his hand in hers. Slowly, Molly as well as Bill, Ron, Fred and George inched closer to Ginny's side.
Dumbledore had felt the magical burst and knew something instrumental had occurred as he was tightening the wards around Hogwarts. It wasn't until a second, abet much smaller wave went out on the grounds that he knew who was responsible. Quickly he made his way to the hospital wing, unaware to the sight that would greet him.
Poppy looked almost pale and frightened of the young man that sat on the chair beside her patient. Everyone else in the room also looked slightly scared of Harry, as the Weasley brothers stood still a good five feet away from their sister casting worried glances at her.
"Harry, I need a word with you," the headmaster said taking in the berth even family members were leaving the couple as well as the power still pounding off of Harry.
"I'm not leaving," Harry said in a deadly calm voice, not evening looking at the headmaster.
"It's all right Harry," Ginny said assuredly. "I'll be fine."
Harry shook his head in protest, but Ginny reached her hand up and caressed his cheeks. Her thumb gently wiped away a teardrop that trembled from his lips.
"Go," she said softly. "I'll be waiting for you. You should know that by now. I'll be fine."
Harry nodded and turned to the headmaster, clearly displeased that Dumbledore wanted to speak with him instead of letting him stay with Ginny. Nodding the headmaster headed to his office, with following.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, his hands touching fingertip to fingertip as he looked over them to the young man seated in front of him. The amount of raw magic energy still emitting from him was nothing less than startling.
"That was quite a display earlier Harry," Dumbledore said solemnly.
"They will not touch her," Harry said in a calm majestic tone, his eyes glowing a brilliant green, like two shining emeralds.
"No, I do not believe Tom is that foolish," Dumbledore said. "However you have put Miss Weasley in danger. No doubt by now all the Death Eaters are aware of your feelings for her, and I have no doubt many of them are indeed that foolish as to try to harm or ensnare her to lure you out."
"They will not touch her," Harry said again sternly, eyes glowing brighter.
The headmaster sighed. Harry was still emitting a lot of raw power, and it was essential he control it soon or risk exhausting himself and even worse harming someone.
"Harry, the amount of raw magical power you unleashed today is practically unheard of, in fact even muggles were able to feel such an outburst," Dumbledore said trying a different approach. "If it was concentrated at one or two individuals it would have been quite fatal. No shielding charm ever created would have worked. You could have killed someone Harry and not just Death Eaters either. There were several members of the Order at Hogsmeade as well that were in the vicinity of you."
That still didn't phase the younger man. Sighing Dumbledore looked at him and sighed, "Harry you could have accidentally harmed Miss Weasley. If she was seriously injured no one would have been able to get to her to help her after that shield you put up. Death Eaters weren't the only things not able to get to you."
The glow in Harry's eyes softened, as he looked down quickly.
"I was not going to let them hurt her again," he said. "The only reason she was there was because she knew I was. I am not going to let them hurt her EVER again. I can't . . . I won't be able to . . . if something should ever happen . . .," Harry looked up tears glistening in his eyes. "Professor if anything ever happened to her, Voldemort won't have to worry about me anymore. I would be as good as dead. I wouldn't be able to go on without her anymore."
"Harry, when did all this come about? I wasn't aware your feelings for Miss Weasley ran beyond friendship."
"I love her," Harry said frankly looking straight at the headmaster. "And after this is all over I am going to marry her."
"And when did you decide this Harry?" Dumbledore asked his eyes twinkling.
"Yesterday."
"Yesterday?"
"Yes, well no, well yes," Harry said raking his hand through his hair as the magic around him began to settle. Harry struggled to find the right words. "It's like I was blind all these years or I had blinders on when she was around. She was just Ginny, just Ron's sister."
"And now she isn't?"
"She's still Ron's sister, but now it's like the blinders have been lifted or I can finally see after being blind and when I opened my eyes she was there like some sort of an angel – my angel God made just for me. And I'm not letting her go, not ever again. I'm not going to let anything happen to her, and I don't feel right when I'm not around her. May I . . . may I go now sir? I really want to be there with her."
By this point, Harry's magic had returned to normally levels. It was if talking about his feelings for Miss Weasley had calmed him both mentally and emotionally. Dumbledore merely nodded his answer to Harry's request. Harry bound up and made his way to the door.
"One more thing Harry," Dumbledore said as Harry reached the doorway. "What were those other figures with you and Miss Weasley in that shielding hubble you created?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about professor," Harry blinked in surprise before answering.
"I believe you Harry," Dumbledore said. "If Poppy gives you a hard time just tell her I request it. You may even spend the night in the infirmary if you wish. Madam Pomfrey may seem a prude to you, but she understands young love. Old love for that matter two judging by that kiss at the New Year's party last year," Dumbledore said smiling.
Harry look shocked before he smiled and closed the door behind him. He took off faster than a Firebolt to see his beloved.
"You two can come out from hiding now," Dumbledore signed as the staircase closed.
To figures shimmered slightly before the disillusionment charm wore off. Lupin and Moody stood in the back of his office, looking haggard and shocked.
"I'm telling you Dumbledore I know what I saw," Lupin said. "I don't know how and I don't know why, but I swear on Merlin's name that I saw Sirius, James and Lily standing there when we found him and Ginny."
"I saw them too," Moody grunted. "And two children."
Lupin nodded. "I did too. Looked like a boy and a girl, no older than 10. I have no idea who they might be."
"I have an idea," the headmaster said pinching the bridge of his nose. "Though that like the appearance of three long departed friends is just as unlikely."
"Well then who were they?" Lupin asked.
"You know the old saying about ancestors taking care of children until the world is ready for them? I believe those two children will eventually belong to Harry and Miss Weasley."
"Merlin, Morgan and Circe," Lupin swore sitting down.
"Nonsense all of it," grumbled Moody. "I want to know what this means for the Order."
"It means," Dumbledore said shaking his head. "Tom better pray that no harm comes to Miss Weasley by him or his Death Eaters or he will be lucky if there is anything left of any of them at all. We also must make sure nothing happens to her, if it does Harry won't go on."
"How do you suggest we do that then?"
"Just let Harry be with her as much as possible," Dumbledore said eyes twinkling.
