CHAPTER NINETEEN: Revelations
Six Dead in Alley Confrontation
Early yesterday evening, a group of wizards heading home from their jobs at the Ministry we're cornered in an alleyway by what sources are reporting eight Death Eaters. The victims managed to hold them off for a short time, but were eventually overpowered by You-Know-Who's loyal followers before Aurors could arrive at the scene.
Once again, Corneilus Fudge – who looks closer and closer to being removed from his position if recent polls are any indication – is taking the heat for the attack. Sources close to the Daily Prophet are saying that the Auror numbers have taken a huge dive in the last two years and that when the time comes for a full-scale attack by You-Know-Who, there may not be much of a chance of stopping him. Of course, Mr. Fudge has tried denying this, but who can really believe a word that comes out of his mouth these days?
One of the victims, Bryan Vanderwal, was the Director on the Committee of Experimental Charms, which is actually expanding its operations –
"Snape's coming around, you better put that away," Ron's voice broke into Harry's thoughts.
Seeing Snape was indeed just a few rows away, Harry hastily folded up the article he had ripped out that morning's paper and opened up his previous night's homework.
"I thought you stopped reading the Prophet," Ron said to him.
"I did," Harry responded, seeing that Snape was now checking the homework from the row in front of him. "Neville was reading it this morning and I asked him if I could have this."
"What for?"
"Ron, six wizards died," he said, growing annoyed. "I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but they all worked for the Ministry. And someone has also leaked to the Prophet that the Auror numbers are dwindling – with that kind of knowledge Voldemort could plan an attack right now and we wouldn't stand a chance."
Ron shrugged. He didn't even cringe when Harry said Voldemort's name. "You haven't cared about anything to do with You-Know-Who all year, what's so different now?"
For once in his life Harry was actually thankful Snape was now at his desk to check his homework. Ron had been in awful mood since Hermione's departure almost three weeks earlier, and even though Harry sympathized with him very much, his patience was wearing thin.
"Sub par work as usual, Weasley," Snape said with a note of disgust, picking up Ron's paper. He gave Harry a nasty look as he picked up his. "I hope this essay proves to be something resembling a NEWT level, Potter, otherwise I would recommend finding a class that is easier for you to comprehend."
Harry's jaw was clenched as he matched Snape's stare, but he kept his mouth shut as he always did. Letting Snape goad him into an argument had only got him extra homework and detentions in the past. What he really wanted to do was go to Dumbledore and tell him how much of a bastard Snape was being. If Snape kept marking him the way he did, he wasn't going to have a chance in hell of getting into the seventh year advanced NEWT potions class. But Harry couldn't go to Dumbledore because he didn't want him to do him any favours. He didn't want to be indebted to the Headmaster.
Harry spent the rest of the lesson picturing horrific deaths for the Potions Master while he copied down the theory behind a series of comatose-like potions they would be making in the next class.
Ron joined him in being one of the first students out of the class when the period ended. Snape had them pick up their essays from the previous week on their way out.
Harry stared at the grade on the top of it before crushing the paper in his hands. "I'm practically going to have to get perfect on the exam to be able to get into next year's potions. How'd you do?"
Ron held up his paper, which had almost as much red ink on it as Harry's had, but the grade at the top was different.
"At least you passed," Harry muttered with some resentment. It wasn't fair that Snape was marking him completely different from the rest of the class.
"Do you want to grab something to eat and then head down to the pitch?" Ron asked, changing the subject.
"I suppose so," Harry answered. Quidditch seemed to be the only thing that could get Ron in a good mood. His goalkeeping skills had improved tremendously because he had been practicing so hard. Working as Keeper seemed to be the only way for him to work out some of his frustrations. Harry wished he could be that successful with some of his own frustrations.
They passed a group of fifth years leaving Flitwick's charms class. Harry noticed Ginny was among them. He moved away from Ron saying, "I'll be right back." He didn't wait for Ron's answer as he cut a path through the hoards of students to reach her. She looked surprised to see him when he was standing in front of her. He supposed he shouldn't have been shocked by that, since they had spoken very little outside of Quidditch games and practices since the incident with the Slytherin Beater, Sara Summerfield.
"We've got practice at four," he told her.
"I know, Harry," she said. "Katie made the announcement last night at dinner."
"Er, right," he said, pushing the front of his glasses up in a nervous gesture that he hoped she didn't notice. "I just was making sure everyone's going to be there. It's going to be important," he said, trying to recover.
"I'll be there," she assured him and went to leave.
"Are you mad at me?" He asked before he could stop himself.
"No, Harry, I'm not," she answered honestly.
"But you were, weren't you?"
She nodded.
"But you're not anymore?"
"Right," she said, almost laughing now. "You're acting kind of weird."
"I guess I just wanted to make sure we're okay," he said to her. "I thought you were still upset about the suspension and some of the things I said."
"Well, I got over it," she informed him. "And next time, all you have to do is ask, instead of skirting around me worried I'm going to snap your head off," she said smiling and then walking off.
Harry rejoined Ron a moment later, who immediately said, "what was that all about?"
"I just wanted to make sure she knew about today's practice."
"Of course she knew, she was there when Katie told the rest of us."
Harry didn't say anything and started walking.
"Is there something going on with you two?" Ron asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
"What kind of question is that?"
"Apparently one that you're avoiding answering," said Ron, giving his friend a suspicious look.
He couldn't tell whether or not Ron was trying to pick a fight with him, even though he found the question altogether ridiculous. "Of course there's nothing going on with me and Ginny."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth he caught sight of someone standing behind Ron. It was Dean, and he didn't look happy at all.
"I guess I should be glad to hear that news," said Dean, giving him a deadly stare. "But considering what happened with you and Cho Chang, I'm not sure if I should believe it."
"Dean, there's – " Harry started, but the other Gryffindor was already taking off down the hall. He turned back to Ron, only to be greeted by the same look that had been present on Dean's face seconds before. "Ron, I swear, there's nothing going on."
Ron's features eventually softened as he began to realize Harry was telling the truth. "Dean knows that. He probably just had a bad day or whatever."
That still didn't make Harry feel much better, but at least Ron was on his side. He tried to take comfort in that thought as they headed down to the pitch. It was sure to be one long practice.
Quidditch practice went smoothly, or at least as smoothly as things could go when two of your players weren't speaking. Ginny and Dean had obviously had a row of sorts because she turned up at the pitch in a foul mood. When she wouldn't even look at him, it didn't take long for Harry figure out what had been the subject of the fight. He couldn't very well pull her aside and tell her his side of the story without arousing any suspicion from their surrounding teammates, and especially from Ron.
Katie called the practice two hours later when a light rain had started to fall. She called the Gryffindor team over and gave a brief run through of the improvements she had noted and some of the areas that still needed work. All in all, Harry felt they had a better than decent chance of beating Ravenclaw then they did the last time they had played them. They had lost the previous match by about fifty points. With Ginny being suspended and Madame Pomfrey not allowing Katie to play with the concussion she had suffered against the Slytherins, one Chaser had simply not been enough to beat a team of Ravenclaw's caliber. Harry had caught the Snitch, knowing that they would lose even if he did so, but also knowing he would be saving Gryffindor from a slaughter.
When Katie was done with her usual end of practice speech, Ron started back towards the school, leaving Harry with no choice but to follow him back instead of staying behind and talking to Ginny like he wanted to. Then again, if she was hacked off at him maybe it was a good idea he give her some space before trying to approach her.
He trudged back to the common room alongside Ron, wanting nothing more than to shower and then relax in front of the fire. But the last part would not be a wise idea with the mountain of homework awaiting him up in his room.
On his way to the boys' dormitory, he passed by Dean and Seamus. Quite expectedly he received a loathing look from Dean, but he had not been expecting one from Seamus as well. That was just what he needed – another member of his House pissed off at him. As soon as he was upstairs, he didn't dwell on it a moment longer. If he allowed himself to get caught up in all the times someone at Hogwarts had been upset or even afraid of him, then he would never get anything else done.
When he returned to the common room, having showered and retrieved his homework, he found a rather agitated Ron sitting alone at a table. He had his books open in front of him, but had only a few lines written on his parchment.
"What's up?" Harry asked him.
"Ginny's still not back," he said immediately.
"Still?" Harry said, trying to give the impression of not being overly concerned.
Ron wouldn't have let it last this long, except Ginny had been grilling him lately for being even more over protective than usual. She had even called him smothering at one point. Just because you don't have Hermione to be overprotective of anymore, doesn't mean you get to be doubly protective of me, she had said that to him a few days ago, so he had finally given in to her requests and backed off. At present, however, he was feeling like going right back outside and –
"I'll go get her," Harry's voice broke through his thoughts.
Ron stared at him for a moment, before saying, "no, I'll go."
"Look, she's angry with me, I'll go," Harry argued. He stood up as if that made to settle the matter.
Surprisingly, Ron didn't argue beyond that. Harry noticed the looks that Dean and Seamus were sending him as he left, but acted as if he didn't. They had no doubt overheard his conversation with Ron, but he could care less at the moment about what they thought of him.
When he got downstairs and opened the large wooden door to outside, he found it raining heavily now. As he started walking outside, he couldn't imagine what would possess Ginny to stay out in this. If the Aurors were still patrolling the grounds of the school like they had been all year, they should have brought her in. No one was supposed to be outside unsupervised. He wasn't even halfway to the pitch when his sweater and pants became completely soaked through his robes. Being caught in a rainstorm in February was not something to be enjoyed.
She was easy enough to spot. She was the lone figure running around the pitch. After calling out to her several times and receiving no response, which he didn't know if it was because of the howling rain or was just plain ignoring him, he took up a light jog and eventually caught up with her.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked her, having to raise his voice over the rain to be heard.
"Katie said we needed to work on endurance, so what does it look like I'm doing?" She shot back.
"I don't think she meant while it was pouring rain and freezing out so you could catch your death."
"No one said you had to stay," she said, not looking at him.
"Ginny, cut the bullshit," he said, grabbing her arm and forcing her to stop. "If you're mad at me then just say so. Aren't you the one who told me not to skirt around an issue?"
He thought that maybe she would continue pretending everything was fine, but then he saw something in her eyes change and she snapped.
"If you must know, then yes, I am mad at you! What else am I supposed to be when Dean comes up to me and starts accusing me of carrying on behind his back with you."
"Ginny, I tried to tell him there was nothing going on."
"You obviously didn't try hard enough, did you?" She shouted, causing him to take a step back. He had experienced the Weasley temper first hand from Ron plenty of times, but it was something else entirely to witness it in Ginny. "Or maybe you didn't want to."
It was Harry's turn to cut his temper loose. "You think that little of me?"
She was being unfair. She knew Harry was a better person then that. She also knew she couldn't keep speaking to him when she was this upset. She started to go, when he grabbed her wrist, not hard, but enough to keep her from breaking free of his grasp. His eyes sought hers, and she tried averting her gaze, but it was hard when he was staring at her in such a penetrating way. Realizing that he was still holding her wrist rather tightly, he let go. She could have left right then and for some reason she knew he wouldn't try to stop her – but she didn't move. And because of that, it marked the moment when things were forever changed between her and Harry.
"I really liked Dean, even after what happened in the summer," she said to Harry. "He made a real effort to try and make things up to me. I was never in love with him, but he made me happy. I thought I was over this whole silly crush thing with you. I was fine last year with Michael, but when Dean and I were apart for those months and you and I started talking more, I realized that maybe I wasn't completely over you. But it didn't matter, because I knew nothing could ever happen and when Dean wanted to get back together I said yes."
Harry pushed his soaked hair out of his eyes. He was unprepared to handle what she had shared with him. "You never said anything," he said his voice so low he wasn't sure she would be able to hear him with the rain pounding down around them.
"There was no point," she told him, having heard him clearly. "I already knew you wouldn't feel anything for me," she continued, unsure if it was him or herself she was trying to convince of that. "You've spent most of the year angry with yourself and everyone else. If anything had developed it would have been because I was convenient. I wouldn't have been Cho or Hermione but I would have done."
"No, Ginny, it wouldn't have been like that."
For some unknown reason his words seemed to make her angrier. "Do you hear what you're saying? First it's Cho, then Hermione, and now me. Well, you know what? I'm not interested in being Harry Potter's flavour of the month, so you can sod off and find some other tart to be it. I'm sure there's dozens of girls here who would want the job. You know what the sad part is, Harry? You don't even realize how screwed up you are. You don't know what you want. You're doing everything you can to numb the pain, but all it's doing is eating away at you."
"I know how fucked up I am! But just because I'm dealing with a lot of shit doesn't mean I can't see what's right in front of my face."
They stared at each other for a long moment, before Ginny wretched her eyes away from him and said, "I'm going in."
"I never asked Cho to break up with Michael," he started, when she turned to leave, "because I was never in love with her."
The implication of what he was saying was almost too much for her.
In one swift motion he had closed the gab between them. "I'm a mess and the last thing I should be doing is starting something so that person can end as screwed up as me. I don't want that."
Rain still pouring down around them, she asked, "what do you want?" By the way his eyes were raking over her she knew what he wanted without even having to hear his answer.
When his lips found hers, it no longer seemed to matter that it was raining hard down on them and they were frozen to the bone. She clung to his soaked through shirt, exploring his mouth with her own. He pulled her shirt free from her pants and his hands started working their way under it when she sharply pulled away from him.
He looked at her, fully expecting her to be angry with him, but not expecting the horrified look he saw there. He had crossed the line and she was going to hate him forever.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have – " he cut himself off when he saw her staring at something passed his shoulder. When he turned to see what it was, he understood where the horrified expression on her face had come from.
There were at least a dozen Death Eaters closing in on them. Harry had no idea how they could have even got onto the school grounds without the Auror's noticing. What he did know was that he had to get Ginny out of there.
"Get out of here!" He shouted, pushing her away. Even as he was pulling out his wand, he knew she would never make it. The Death Eaters were forming a tight knit circle around them. Their only chance was to fight.
Ginny was just pulling out her wand as Harry shouted Expelliarmus at the nearest Death Eater. It worked, but a spell hit him from behind just as it happened. He fell hard to his knees, but he wasn't completely stunned. He took out the three Death Eaters closing in on Ginny before another curse could hit him. When it did, there was a searing pain like his entire body was on fire. The sound of Ginny's screams filled his ears just before his head smacked against the muddy earth and he knew no more.
Amt: In regards to your questions about writing a Harry/Draco story, unfortunately I don't write slash so you won't see that pairing in any of my fics.
