Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and its various publishers own Harry Potter. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Notes to reviewers are at the end because I wrote so much. I'm finding that I really look forward to what everyone has to say. You've all been kind. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Chapter Thirteen
Nothing More Than a Murderer
Saturday couldn't come soon enough for Harry -— a whole day with Ginny away from Hogwarts. Maybe it wasn't a real date since they were going in a group, but just thinking about it made Harry walk a little taller. Unfortunately, he did have to get through the rest of the week first. It seemed to last forever.
On Tuesday, Professor Snape took twenty points from Gryffindor and gave Harry a detention when Crabbe's cauldron exploded. He claimed that Harry had thrown something into it from across the room. Ron's protests of Harry's innocence fell on deaf ears and cost Gryffindor ten more points.
At least the class was dismissed early due to the expanding blue goo that the blast had randomly spread to many corners of the room. The bright blue gobs were not harmful to humans, but the room temperature would have to be reduced to several degrees below freezing in order to stop its expansion before it could be disposed of properly.
"Awrotten luck, Harry," Ron said as the Gryffindor trio walked hurriedly away. "How could he blame it all on you? Even if you'd wanted to cause trouble, you weren't anywhere near Crabbe."
Hermione was fuming as badly as Ron was now that they had left the Potions room. "How could Snape even let Crabbe in the N.E.W.T. Potions class? He doesn't know what he's doing. He could cause some real damage considering the potions we're working on."
"And you're the best judge of that, are you?" a familiar voice drawled behind them. They stopped and turned to face Malfoy. With a satisfied sneer, he continued, "At least he wasn't raised by Muggles." He looked both Harry and Hermione up and down meaningfully.
Standing in their customary places flanking Malfoy's side, both Crabbe and Goyle were nodding in agreement. The sight would have been more intimidating if bits of bright blue goo weren't still clinging to their hair and clothing.
A quiet snicker escaped from Ron. Harry and Hermione were having better success stifling their smiles. With a smile, Ron pointed to the two hulking Slytherins and said, "Looks like you two missed a few spots."
Fixing a hateful glare at Ron, Malfoy asked, "Think you're funny, Weasley? Everyone knows you went crawling to McGonagall to get into Potions this year."
Malfoy's words might have stung if Ron weren't so distracted by the sight of Vincent Crabbe who seemed unaware that the sticky blue potion was now completely covering his hair. Trying to keep a straight face, Ron ignored Draco and said, "Crabbe, you really have to give me the recipe. It could make a great gag gift. We could make a little money."
Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Might make a couple of Galleons. Double your family's income."
Noticing that one of the blobs on Goyle's broad shoulder had dripped onto Draco's immaculate robe where it continued to enlarge, the Gryffindors all broke out laughing. Ron continued to mock them. "Speaking of doubling. It's the Potion that ate Piccadilly! Run for your lives." Pulling on Hermione's arm, he turned away from the Slytherins. They gave into their laughter as they hurried away.
Reaching the main entry, Hermione asked, "Well, what do you want to do with a whole hour of unexpected free time?" She was looking longingly at the doors leading outside.
From the expression on Ron's face, Harry was glad his friend wasn't saying aloud what he was obviously thinking would fill the hour. "Yes, wellthere are a few things I want to look up in the library. I'll see you two later," he said and turned to leave.
"Ohthat reminds me," said Hermione, pulling a large, slightly scuffed book from her bag, Historical Myrddin: Separating Fact from Legend. "I bookmarked some passages about the life of Merlin. Thought you might like to read it."
Harry took the book from her and muttered his thanks before going to the library by himself. Very few students were in the library at this hour. Most students were in class. Ignoring the disapproving stare of Madam Pince, Harry opened the book to Hermione's bookmarks and was soon engrossed in reading about Merlin.
A loud thunk broke his concentration. "What's so interesting, Harry?" asked a sweetly familiar voice.
Smiling even before he looked up, Harry replied, "Shouldn't you be in class, Miss Weasley?" Her arrival was like a warm breeze blowing through the library, bringing a fresh scent and a bit of warmth.
She smiled, too, and sat down across from him. "Well, yes, Professor PotterI guess I should be in class, but since Professor Flitwick was called away to a rather spectacular Potions problem, class was dismissed early. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
Harry shook his head. "Snape gave me detention for it. I had nothing to do with it. It would have been physically impossible for me to add whatever he said I addedanyway, he just likes to make my life harder. But, you know, right now it seems more like he did me a favor." His voice trailed off as he realized what he had been about to say. "I meanextra time for research and all." He briefly lifted the book he was reading.
"Interesting book, then?" Ginny asked, biting her lower lip.
"Very," Harry answered, forcing himself to stare at the words on the page, although their meaning escaped him just now. It was hard to ignore the utterly charming expression on her face.
"Myrddin?" Ginny asked, tilting her head slightly to read the title on the cover. She laid her hands flat on the table in front of her. "Anything about a torch?"
He swallowed hard. "Nothing. But he led a long and interesting life. Apparently, he could talk to his owl." Harry didn't feel like reading any more. He closed the book and set it aside. Leaning toward Ginny, he covered her hands with his.
The gesture felt so natural, yet it startled them both into silence. They both were still for a moment while green eyes smiled into sparkling brown. Ginny recovered first. "And he had an interesting death, too, as I remember," she said.
It took a moment for Harry to remember what they were talking about. "OhI don't think I've read that far. I don't remember how he died." Puzzled, he let go of her hands and reopened the book.
"Well, he didn't. At least no one knows for sure if he did." Sighing, Ginny pulled her own schoolbooks out of her bag and reached back in for parchment, quill and ink.
Harry pondered what she'd said. If Merlin were alive, someone would surely know about it. Watching Ginny start looking through her Charms book, he asked, "What happened to him? Do you mean he might still be alive?"
She looked speculatively at Harry. Of course, he wasn't raised in the wizarding world so he didn't know much about the legends and myths that were common knowledge to her. She smiled affectionately and answered, "It was so long ago that people assume he died. I mean, he must have -- old age and all. But the legend says that he was tricked by a beautiful young enchantress. Her name was Ninianne. She convinced him to teach her all of his magic and then she used it to trap him in a cave or something." She stopped and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Or was it an island draped in fog, lost in the mist? Oh, I don't remember the particulars. I'll bet it's in your book."
"So far, I've read about the early years when Merlin went wild and lived in an enchanted forest somewhere in Scotland. Hey, maybe it was Hogwart's own Forbidden Forest."
"You have a good imagination, Harry," Ginny said, scribbling something on her parchment, then nibbling thoughtfully on the end of her quill.
Harry was quiet for a moment, then said slowly, "So someone was able to rid the world of the greatest, most powerful wizard that ever lived simply by trapping him — putting him in a prison of sorts."
Ginny put her quill down and sighed. "Oh, Harry. I see what you're getting at." She gave him a sympathetic look. In a whispered voice, she said, "But the prophecy says, neither can live while the other survives.' It doesn't sound like trapping You-Know-Who will be enough."
Staring down at his hands, he said, "It was just a thought, Ginny. I don't want to be a murderer. Even if it's Voldemort." He looked, as he so often did, as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
Repeating his earlier gesture, she reached out and put her hands over Harry's. "I know, Harry. Maybe you should ask Dumbledore what he thinks."
"Dumbledore! Oh, no I forgot. I have his Tutorial at four. I'll see you later." Harry jumped up. Looking regretfully at Ginny, he stuffed the book in his bag and left in a hurry.
****
The following evening, the first D.A. meeting brought twice as many students together as the year before. Harry, Hermione and Ron arrived at the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy and walked back and forth, thinking of a place to meet. When the door appeared, they discovered that the room had all the same appointments, the Defense books and Dark detectors were all in place, but the room had doubled in size. As seven o'clock approached, people began to filter in. Those who had been in the D.A. the year before were amazed at how the room had changed.
"Hermione, you did put the message on all the House boards, didn't you?" Harry asked. "I was sure there'd be more people from other houses than this." They'd decided to open up the club to any student fourth year and above.
"I'm sure the notices went up on all the house notice boards, Harry. I gave them to the prefects to post. There must be twice as many people here as last year," she said with satisfaction.
Harry was still preoccupied. "I thought there'd be more Slytherins," he said simply.
"Why would you care, Harry? Why would we want a bunch of bloody-minded Slytherins hanging out in the D.A.? Good riddance, I say." Ron was never too keen on anyone from the dungeons.
"Ron, how can you say that? Not all Slytherins are bad, just like not all Gryffindors are good. Remember Peter Pettigrew? You can't judge a person by their house affiliation," Hermione said. She was always glad to champion a tolerant attitude.
With an air of finality, Harry said, "Both of youquiet down. They'll hear you. I want everyone to feel welcome. The D.A. is for all Hogwarts students. We're all in this together. Remember what the Sorting Hat has been saying? I think the warning is about just this sort of thing. We need to learn to trust each other despite our Houses. This is a chance to at least try."
Ron looked a little chagrined. He knew his friends were right. At least there was no sign of Malfoy or his goons.
In fact, it seemed like no one from sixth year or above in Slytherin House was there. Most were fourth years that Harry recognized from Defense class.
Clearing his throat, Harry said, "Good evening, everyone. Let's get started, shall we. Welcome to the D.A. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Harry Potter. A group of us started this club last year because we felt that it was important to practice our defensive skills. Even though we have a decent Defense Professor this year, we hope to keep our skills up by extra practice. Anyway, we can have a little fun and maybe learn some things we don't have time for in our defense class. How does that sound to everyone? Are there any questions?"
A short blonde girl raised her hand, "I read that you fought He Who Must Not Be Named and escaped when you were my age. Is that true?"
"Yes, everything you read in the Quibbler about me is true." He could see Luna nodding proudly.
Zacharias Smith raised his hand, "I heard you took a group from last year's D.A. to fight Death Eaters at the Ministry. That was in the Daily Prophet. Was that true?"
Harry hadn't been expecting a reminder of last June's events. He stared at Zach for a little too long, so Hermione responded for him. "Really Zach, you could ask about that anytime. Why bring that up now?"
"I'm just wondering why he didn't take the rest of us. We all worked hard. We were ready to fight," Zach said.
The crowd murmured. Several of last year's members were nodding their heads. Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did they really think they'd missed out on a great adventure? They felt left out? He didn't know what to say.
Ron said, "Well, we didn't take everyone. It's too late to do anything about that. Let's get started on what we are going to do tonight. Harry?" All heads turned to Harry expectantly at this comment. Ron's height and broad shoulders gave him a natural air of authority.
Harry began taking them through the lesson that he had planned. He split them into two groups and demonstrated briefly. The younger students began practicing Protego! while he worked on teaching the older students a rather advanced Disillusionment Charm.
Working his way around the room, checking on their progress, he came across a girl with soft, shoulder length brown hair and bright blue eyes who didn't have a partner. Looking across the room, he spotted Neville who seemed happy to be paired with Seamus. They were standing near Luna and some Ravenclaw fifth year that Harry didn't recognize. Last year it was Neville who often needed a partner, but his new wand and hard working attitude had finally paid off. "I guess you're with me," Harry said to the girl standing alone.
"Just my luck," she said with a smirk. "Defense isn't my best subject. I'm hoping that this group can help me improve." Her voice had a light, lyrical accent that Harry thought might be Irish.
"Let me know what I can do," Harry said. She could tell that he meant that. "What's your name?" he asked.
Surprised, she answered, "Oh, it's Sophie, Sophie Moon." She looked a little uncomfortable.
Harry wondered briefly what could be wrong before he smiled at her and repeated the instructions for the Disillusionment Charm. "In some situations being able to disguise yourself, even for a little while, could save your life. This spell is difficult to keep in place when someone is throwing hexes at you. It takes a fair amount of magical energy. Also any move you make could reveal your location. You'll look like a ripple of water —- only in the air."
They settled in to practice. Harry worked with Sophie for a while, and then asked Parvati and Lavender to trade off practicing with her while he wandered around the room to check on other people.
Everyone was working hard, but it was a difficult spell to master. Some would only appear to flicker as they cast the Disillusionment Charm. Others could cast the charm, but not hold it when pressed. Ron was defeating Hermione easily. She would cast the charm to blend into the background, then reappear quickly the moment he cast his Revealing Spell. She was becoming frustrated since she was usually really good with charms.
"Try pairing with someone else for a while, Hermione," suggested Harry, thinking that maybe working with Ron was ruining her concentration. Ron could already cast the Charm and hold it briefly so Harry asked him to move around the room in the opposite direction to see how everyone was doing.
"What good is this spell when you're fighting a duel, Harry?" asked Zach Smith. "I can't imagine that a simple concealment spell will be convincing enough or last long enough to work during a real fight."
"Maybe not, Zach. But sometimes, it isn't smart to fight. If you know you can't win, it's better to get away and fight another day. Hiding, or even making it more difficult for your enemy to see you, can make escape possible." Harry tried to be patient with the irritating blond boy. They all needed to find a way to get along. Besides, maybe he didn't mean to be so annoying. Maybe he was just the sort of person who said the first thing that came into his head all the time.
"I think I'm ready to fight, Harry. Next time you need someone to go on a mission, be sure you let me know. I'm your man," Zach said.
Harry was stunned speechless, thinking, I don't want anyone to be my man. I'm not planning a mission. On the other hand, he's a Hufflepuff. Of course he's loyal. What else would you expect?'
The blond boy was holding his breath looking at him expectantly. Harry said, "Thanks, Zach. I appreciate it. Let's hope it never comes to that." He extended his hand. Zach shook it and smiled.
Harry moved on through the crowd of students. Some were getting the hang of the spell. There was a whole lot of giggling going on with the younger group. While they were practicing Protego! with some success, the spell they were trying to deflect was the tickling spell. If their protection worked and the spell rebounded, then the spellcaster was hit with the tickles. Either way someone was giggling.
Laughter is contagious, so even the older kids left feeling like they'd had a fun evening although everyone had worked hard. At the end of the session, several students stayed behind to help stack pillows along the wall. Among them were Ginny, Dean and Cho. Harry noticed that Dean never left Ginny's side.
Cho came over to Harry. Almost a month of school had passed without him so much as looking her way. Yet, she'd noticed that he didn't seem to have an interest in anyone else. She'd begun to think he was secretly pining for her and was staying away because of her brother. She had to find out.
She cleared her throat nervously and said, "Thanks for showing us that spell, Harry. I'm glad the D.A. is going to continue. It would have been good last summer if I'd known how to hide myself."
He was a little surprised that she was speaking to him. "Don't blame last summer on anyone but Voldemort, Cho. If not for him, we wouldn't need to know how to conceal ourselves." Harry picked up some books that were lying on the floor and slowly put them back on the bookshelf. He was half hoping that Cho would just quietly slip away while he was preoccupied, but she waited patiently until he finished.
There were still a few people in the room with them. Cho was looking at him intently. He asked politely, "Is there something else on your mind?"
She blushed and looked at the other people in the room. They were all out of hearing distance. She leaned toward him and said, "I want to talk to you alone, Harry."
"We can't be alone, Cho. I promised your brother. I intend to keep that promise. You probably shouldn't even be coming to D.A. meetings. It's not safe for you to be near me." Harry looked genuinely concerned.
"But, Harry" Cho began.
"Just, please forget it," he said, not so politely. With that, he walked away and out the door without saying goodnight to anyone. It was too depressing to think about. Anyone he ever dated would be a target for Death Eaters. It just wasn't fair.
Getting back to his room, he pulled out his planner that promptly sang to him that he shouldn't put off reading his Transfiguration book since he needed to prepare for class tomorrow.
Thankful that he was alone for once in the dormitory, he stared at the book for a long time, thinking over the D.A. meeting. Ginny and Dean had partnered. She was much better at charms than Dean. Her Disillusionment Charm held up as long as Hermione's, well, once Hermione moved away from Ron,' he thought, feeling oddly proud of both of them. Ginny had been friendly to Harry as he passed by; but she had spent the whole evening with Dean. Even though she denied it, there must still be something between them.
Shaking off this depressing thought, he settled in to read his book. He forced himself to focus on the subject of transfiguring plants into common household objects. He became so engrossed in the subject that he startled when he heard his name being called. It was Ginny's voice. He smiled and answered his mirror.
"How are you tonight, Ginny?" he asked.
They settled in to discuss the events of the day. She'd had Magical Creatures class and had been dismayed to find that Hagrid had found and captured a small flock of Swoopers in the Forbidden Forest for them to study. Although these birds were the less colorful, distant cousins to the more difficult Fwoopers found in the Southern Hemisphere, without earplugs or a strong silencing charm, the sound of the Swooper would drive the listener just as crazy.
"I don't know how he finds these things. Most people would just cover their ears and run the other way if they saw so many Swoopers in one place, but not Hagrid." She was laughing.
Glad to be hearing Ginny's voice, Harry listened to the whole story, even though he knew about the birds. When she was finished, he said, "Who do you think helped Hagrid capture those birds? You should have seen Terry Boot and I trying to make the proper arm motions." The boys had to transfigure their robes into Swooper feathers and then wave their arms in a specific pattern to entice the Swoopers to follow them to the reserve' as Hagrid kept calling the small artificial pond he'd set up for them. Of course, they put a Silencing Charm on the Swoopers before they even attempted to get close.
"Maybe you and Terry can demonstrate for me sometime, eh?" Ginny suggested. She closed her eyes and said, "Wait, I think I have a pretty clear mental picture of this anyway." She chuckled softly.
"Glad I could amuse you, Ginny," Harry answered, smiling at the sound of her soft laugh.
"Do you think the D.A. meeting went all right, Harry? I didn't have much chance to talk to you there." She didn't want to bring up the fact that Cho had been all over him as the meeting was closing. Maybe they hadn't really broken up? Maybe they were meeting in secret? She definitely wasn't seeing Michael Corner anymore.
"I was hoping that making all the newcomers tickle each other would show them that learning defense can be fun." Harry thought that a little laughter was always a good thing.
"Some of them were still a bit giggly over their homework in the common room. I think it's safe to say they enjoyed themselves," Ginny said, holding the mirror closer. He could just see her smile and the tip of her nose.
So she'd been down in the common room since the meeting ended, probably with Dean. He certainly hadn't come to bed yet. Harry was still alone in the dormitory and it must be after eleven. If Ginny and Dean weren't dating, why had she spent the whole evening with him?
Suddenly, he didn't feel much like talking any more. Ginny was so sweet. He adored her. But she would never see him as more than a friend. Life just didn't seem fair.
Saying he was especially tired, he said goodnight to Ginny and headed off to the loo. Maybe a nice long shower would help him shake off these depressing thoughts before bed. His anger grew as he felt sorry for himself. His life was never going to be normal. He wished he could smash something.
****
Death Eaters surrounded him. They were laughing in cold, cruel voices. Lucius Malfoy's wand was pointing right into his face. He could hear Bellatrix Lestrange taunting him. did you love him, little baby Potter?' The voices seemed to echo and surround him, finally blending into a blinding flash of light, followed by the sound of his own agonized voice saying over and over again, Kill me now, Dumbledore!'
"Argh..!" His scream pierced the night. Ron was shaking him. His scar was on fire.
"Wake up, Harry. Wake up!" Seeing his friend's eyes open, Ron stopped shouting and handed him his glasses. "Was it another vision? Did you see something?" he asked, remembering when Harry had seen Ron's father attacked in his sleep last year.
Harry was drenched in sweat and trembling. "Iit was just a nightmare. Ssssorry to wake you," he said. His voice was shaking and his head throbbing, but he knew it was his own fault. He should never have gone to sleep angry and upset, let alone dispensing with his Occlumency exercises.
"That's okay. Sorry you had a bad dream." Ron was relieved somehow. A nightmare was better than a vision. He thought that Harry's nightmares and visions were a thing of the past.
"Really, Ron. I'm all right. Go back to sleep." His friend's eyes looked heavy lidded and tired, his forehead furrowed with concern.
"You heard him. Get back to bed everyone." Ron noticed that Seamus, Neville and Dean were standing behind him staring at Harry sleepily.
Upset that he'd disturbed the whole dormitory, Harry left. Dragging his blanket with him, he went downstairs. Better to spend the rest of the night where he couldn't disturb anyone. Unable to relax enough to go back to sleep, Harry turned his thoughts over and over in his mind until the last embers of the common room fire died and the room filled with the dim grey light of early morning.
After pushing himself hard in his morning workout, Harry showered and returned to the dormitory to dress. As he walked into the room, he heard Neville talking. "I don't know what happens to me. I could talk to her last year, but now every time she's nearby, I stammer like stupid prat."
Ron grinned and said, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Neville. I'm sure you stammer like a smart prat some of the time."
Harry shook his head as he searched through his trunk for clean clothes. He thought, Dean's still sleeping soundly or he could give you some advice. He seems to do all right.'
Seamus shot Ron a look of mild disgust and put his arm around Neville. "You came to the right roommate, Neville. Romancing a woman takes delicate handling. Something Weasley knows nothing about."
Neville looked at Harry who was pulling on clean socks. "What do you think Harry? You seem to have a lot of girls around you all the time."
Ignoring the quiet snorts that Ron and Seamus tried to hide. Harry just shrugged and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. You want some advice about what exactly?"
"I can't seem to talk to Luna any more. Every time I get up the nerve to say something, the most embarrassing babble comes out," Neville said. "You have more experience. What's your secret? How do you keep your nerve?"
With a snort and a look of disbelief, Seamus said, "You can't be serious, Neville. Harry has a following because he's the Boy Who Lived. Not because he's a smooth talker." Seamus didn't know how close Neville had been to being the Boy Who Lived.
Harry finished putting on his shoes and said, "Sorry, Neville. Seamus is right. He knows more about this than I do. Both Seamus and Ron have girlfriends. You should listen to them." He beat a hasty retreat, leaving his dorm mates to sort out their love lives.
***
After breakfast, when Harry appeared in the Defense classroom with circles under his eyes, Moody said, "Been staying up late chasing the ladies, Potter? You look like you missed your beauty sleep."
"Very funny, Professor. I just didn't sleep well that's all, Must have eaten something that'd gone off." Thinking that a change of subject would take the Professor's magical eye off of him, he said, "We had the first D.A. meeting last night. Loads more students showed up than we expected. Not too many from Slytherin though."
"Why do you want the Slytherins?" Moody asked in a growl.
Harry looked thoughtful before answering, "Every year the Sorting Hat tells us that if we don't come together, then we won't survive. I think that's a clear message to make friends among the other houses. Not all evil people come from Slytherin. After all, Peter Pettigrew was in Gryffindor and look how he turned out." Harry despised the little rat. "Slytherin must have many people worth getting to know."
A disdainful voice responded from near the doorway. "You probably mean that you're going after the girls in Slytherin. Good luck, Potter. They aren't interested in half-breeds like you," said Draco who was blocking the door with his two bodyguards.
Harry had no idea how long Draco Malfoy had been standing there. As usual, he had put his own twisted slant on what Harry had to say.
Moody didn't give Harry a chance to respond. Instead, he ordered Malfoy to his seat, taking five points from Slytherin for blocking the entrance. He began class as soon as possible. Harry was there as an assistant. This was the sixth year Defense class, not N.E.W.T. Defense which was a smaller class made up primarily of former D.A. members.
Since they were studying how to deal with vampires, the first part of class consisted of looking at wizarding photographs of modern vampires. Most were grotesque creatures, monsters really, not much about them seemed human. Harry hoped he never had to meet one.
Looking around the class at the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, Harry noticed the quiet girl he'd met in the D.A. meeting the night before. She smiled in greeting and Harry returned it, a fact that was not lost on Malfoy who immediately intensified the sneer he was sending Harry's way.
At the end of class, Harry moved toward the door to speak with Sophie, but Goyle was blocking his way. She left before he could make his way around this rather large lumbering obstacle. As Malfoy followed her, he turned and gave Harry a rather self-satisfied look.
Harry shook his head. Rather than try to interpret the nuances of Malfoy's sneers, Harry thought, Malfoy's just trying to irritate me. Getting angry with him is a waste of time.' Maybe if he could keep reminding himself of that, he could control the anger that was building inside.
Moody and he spent the next hour practicing a series of disabling hexes that would effectively end a fight and bind your opponent. Harry was improving the time it took him to fire off a spell. He was so fast that he seemed able to fire three or four spells at the same time. Dumbledore entered the Defense classroom just before lunch.
"Ah, Harry. I'm glad I caught you. Professor Moody, might we use your office for a short conference? I need to speak with both of you." Dumbledore had a mild mannered air about him as he indicated that the two of them should precede him into the smaller room.
Once inside, the Headmaster cast a Locking Charm on the door and a Silencing Charm on the room. He sent a third charm toward the fireplace that Harry didn't recognize, but he suspected that its purpose was to shut down the floo network so they wouldn't be disturbed.
"What's on your mind, Albus?" barked Moody from behind his desk. "Why all the cloak and dagger?"
Dumbledore answered, "We've captured Peter Pettigrew. Members of the Order will hold him for a short while. Then he'll be handed over to the Ministry. We must keep this quiet for now."
"Who caught him? How? Was he alone?" Harry asked, his face showing the shock that he felt.
Dumbledore smiled at Harry. "As Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks were leaving Grimmauld Place this morning, they noticed a group of men in black robes in the park across the way. I've suspected that Number 12 was under surveillance. Of course, they can't see the actual house because of the Fidelius Charm, but they know where the house used to be and apparently set outposts to watch the area."
Harry said, "I've always wondered about that. I mean all of the Black family relatives would know where the house is supposed to be even if the Fidelius Charm made it impossible to find."
With his characteristic twinkle, Dumbledore continued to explain. "Tonks had transformed herself so they had no idea who she was and Kingsley was completely hidden underneath that excellent Invisibility Cloak that you lent us, Alastor. The black wizard robes and Pettigrew's silver hand caught their attention. Tonks pretended to wait for a Muggle bus while Kingsley summoned help from headquarters. When Professor Lupin joined them, he recognized Peter Pettigrew immediately. They were able to stun him before he could transform into a rat. He's being held at headquarters along with two other Death Eaters. I wonder if you would like to speak with him before he's handed over to the Ministry of Magic, Harry?"
"Me? Whyyou mean I could speak with him alone, Professor?" Harry was amazed that Dumbledore would leave him alone with the man who betrayed his parents, remembering the rage he'd felt toward Sirius when he thought he was the guilty party. Did this mean the Headmaster was beginning to trust Harry to control his temper?
Dumbledore answered softly, "We'll be in the next room, Harry. I thought it might help you come to terms with what this man did to your family. If you have no desire to see him, I understand." He waited calmly for Harry to make a decision.
Harry seemed lost in thought for a few minutes, his calm demeanor masking conflicting emotions. Then he shook his head and said, "I don't have anything to say to him, Professor. I appreciate the offer, but it just doesn't matter now. I've already spoken with him in the Shrieking Shack. He's too far gone to understand what it meant to betray my parents. SiriusWell, he said what needed to be said. Nothing Pettigrew can have to say for himself will bring back my parents or Cedric or change the fact that Sirius spent twelve years in prison."
Harry remembered Sirius telling Pettigrew that he should have died rather than betray Harry and his parents, As we would have died for you.' This was really Sirius' moment, come too late for it to matter.
A distant look in his eyes, Harry said, "I watched him kill Cedric Diggory. It was Voldemort's wand and he ordered the killing, but Pettigrew uttered the curse. He's nothing more than a murderer."
Moody said, "I'm thrilled they caught the bastard. I want him to swing for betraying James and Lily, not to mention the thirteen people he killed to frame Sirius and young Diggory. HaThis is a great day for justice, Albus. Thanks for coming by with the news."
Noticing that Harry still seemed a bit grim and tired, Dumbledore said, "Anything you wish to tell me, Harry? I know this is a shock."
How many times had Hermione told him to tell Dumbledore about his nightmares last year? Would things have been different if Harry had trusted Dumbledore enough to tell him about his scar? He'd found out anyway. Remembering his decision to make this year different, Harry blurted out, "I had a nightmare last night."
Both men looked surprised. Harry stared at his hands. It sounded so childish when he said it out loud.
The Headmaster tilted his head up and considered Harry through his little glasses. "Was it a vision?" he asked.
Harry shook his head. "Maybeit was more like a nightmare, a replay of past events. All jumbled together horribly. It could have been Voldemort playing havoc with my mind. I don't know. I was angry when I went to bed. It could have been my fault. OrI wonder if all this time, Voldemort just shut down the connection between us and now he's planning to reopen it. I woke up the whole dorm."
Slowly, the headmaster asked, "And did your scar bother you at the time?"
Harry nodded.
"We can work on Occlumency this afternoon, Harry. Anything else on your mind? How did your first D.A. meeting go last night?" Dumbledore asked.
"We had a pretty good turnout, except for the Slytherins," Harry said.
Dumbledore looked at Harry with a very serious expression. "You wish more Slytherins were involved in your club? Why, may I ask?"
"Like the Sorting Hat said, it's time for all of us to come together. It has to start somewhere. I don't know what else I can do to help." Harry shrugged his shoulders.
Dumbledore said, "You know that a number of the students in Slytherin are the children of known Death Eaters. While I'll keep an open mind about all the students at Hogwarts, you should be careful. I'm not questioning their loyalties at this time. They have yet to choose their path. But, I intend to keep a close watch on their activities."
Harry didn't speak. He was wondering what his life at Hogwarts would have been like if he'd been sorted into Slytherin. Snape would have been his Head of House. He'd have to sleep in the same room as Malfoy. Thinking aloud he asked, "What about those students who have to live with the children of Death Eaters? What are their lives like?"
Dumbledore gave a small smile, his eyes twinkling again, "You've surprised me once again, Harry. I think you are right to consider finding a way to include the Slytherins in the D.A. We'll all have to think of opportunities for bringing people together from various houses. "
The dark circles under Harry's eyes looked pronounced. He seemed to have too many burdens on his young shoulders. Dumbledore said, "I suggest that you take the afternoon off from your studies. You look like you could use the rest. I'll inform Professor Flitwick of your absence from Charms. We'll meet for your Tutorial at four."
Harry found the understanding look in the headmaster's eye calming. Nodding his agreement, he left for lunch. Tears filled his eyes and a lump came to his throat, thinking about how happy Sirius would have been today. Life was so unfair to his godfather. While part of him was thrilled that Pettigrew would now be brought to justice, Sirius' death made the news bittersweet.
The Great Hall was full by the time Harry arrived. Ron had saved him a seat that happily put him across the table from Ginny and Hermione. "Thanks Ron," Harry said, letting out a heavy sigh.
Hermione said, "What is it, Harry? Rough morning? Let me guess, the Slytherins had Defense class." She looked over at her friend with a self-satisfied look on her face.
Harry put aside his sad thoughts and answered with a small smile, "You're right, of course, Hermione. They had Defense this morning, but it didn't go particularly badly. I've just had some startling and important news, but I can't tell you here. It's too crowded. Let's go outside."
Ginny said, "I hope you can tell me, too, Harry. I want to know all your secrets." Then she gave a little laugh.
Despite his fatigue, he grinned at her, his eyes sparkling. She smiled back at him, turning his insides to jelly. He was too sleep deprived and emotional to resist. His eyes searched her face as he reached across the table to take her hand. In the process, he knocked over a full pitcher of pumpkin juice. Everyone around them gasped and dabbed at the river of juice with their napkins. Ginny jumped back and away.
Ron laughed heartily and slapped Harry on the back. "Smoothvery smooth." Chuckling and shaking his head, he wondered if he would ever get his friend together with his sister if her mere presence did weird things to his motor control.
Too busy apologizing to everyone in sight, Harry didn't take offense at his friend's amusement. Hermione uttered a drying spell, then a cleansing spell and order was restored.
Realizing that he didn't have much time before lunch was over, Harry rose and said, "I've waited long enough. You have to come outside with me." Ron jumped up with him and led the group out of the Great Hall.
As the four of them crossed the entryway to step outside the main entrance to Hogwarts, three figures stepped out of the shadows from the dungeons. "Where are you going, Scarhead? I want a word with you," Malfoy said with his usual sneer and drawl.
"Make an appointment, Malfoy. Office hours are every morning at eleven." Harry thought a small reminder that he was on the staff might help Draco remember his manners.
"What I have to say won't take long. Stay away from Sophie Moon. She's a pureblood. She doesn't want anything to do with the likes of you." Draco spat the words as though his contempt for Harry was difficult to contain.
Harry remembered Sophie from the night before at the D.A. meeting, but couldn't imagine why Draco thought he was interested in her. Was he jealous? He answered sincerely, "Malfoy, if she's your girlfriend, you have nothing to worry about from me. We barely spoke."
This sent Malfoy into sneering overdrive. "My girlfriend! As if I'd have anything to do with her! I'm just telling you to leave the Slytherins alone."
"Don't the other students in your house have a right to make their own decisions, Malfoy? What right do you have to dictate to them? Or to us? You can't tell other people what to do." Hermione was indignant.
Crabbe and Goyle were heading back down the stairs to the dungeon after losing their staring match with Ron and Ginny. Ron was much taller and intimidating than they'd ever be. And Ginny, well, they remembered her. Seeing his goons had fled, Malfoy pointed his finger at Harry and said, "This isn't over," before joining them.
The Gryffindors were relieved to see him go. "I didn't even think about her being from Slytherin. Not that it would have mattered," said Harry.
Hermione added, "She must be the only sixth year Slytherin who came to the D.A. meeting. It was so crowded that I didn't notice her."
"Now that the dramatics are over, we better get to class. Sorry, Harry, we don't have time to hear your news." Ginny was moving toward the staircase which was crowded with students heading to their afternoon lessons.
Reaching out to clasp her hand, Harry pleaded. "Wait, this is really interesting news. It's worth a few house points. Please, step outside for thirty seconds and listen to this."
"This better be good, Harry," said Hermione. She earned more house points than anyone else. She didn't like losing them.
Once they were outside, he pulled everyone close, and said, "We have to keep this quiet right now, but the Order caught Peter Pettigrew!" He grinned as he watched their faces react. They were stunned.
"Harry, you must be so glad!" Ginny cried and pulled him into her arms for a celebratory hug.
"Scabbers!" cried Ron, joining the hug. Hermione grimaced at Ron before making the group hug complete. When they all let go, she linked arms with Harry, and said, "Will he stand trial? Maybe you'll get a chance to confront him."
Harry's expression changed. "Dumbledore offered. I turned it down. Remember him pleading in the Shrieking Shack? It's useless to talk to him. He's too far gone. Even after we spared his life, he brought Voldemort back and killed Cedric Diggory for him."
Everyone was silent for a moment. Harry broke the stillness. "But I'm glad he was caught! Maybe this will clear Sirius' name" He left it there, running his hand through his hair. He was suddenly feeling exhausted again, thinking about how it was too late for Sirius to be free, too late to move in together and have a nice life.
His friends all looked concerned as they realized some of what Pettrigrew's capture really meant. Ron spoke for everyone when he said, "We'll have to celebrate in memory of Siriusand Cedric. It's a good day for justice." He clasped his hand onto Harry's shoulder.
Eyes shining with unshed tears; Harry smiled at him and said, "That's what Moody said. I'm going upstairs to rest and contact Remus. Dumbledore told me he'd let Flitwick know. We can talk later."
But Harry didn't get to rest after all. When they walked back into the entryway, Professor Dumbledore greeted them. The twinkle had disappeared from his eyes. "Harry, you're needed at Grimmauld Place right away. We can floo from my office."
"Can we come, too, Professor?" asked Ginny. She and Harry unconsciously took a step closer to each other.
Dumbledore looked surprised as he looked into her hopeful face. "Your concern is touching, but I don't think that is a good idea. You all have your lessons this afternoon. Harry will return by this evening and I'm sure he'll explain everything in great detail."
As they watched Harry hurry away with Dumbledore, Ginny sighed and said, "I hate being left out." Ron and Hermione exchanged knowing looks.
"So, what's the emergency?" Harry asked the Headmaster, wishing that his friends had been able to come with them.
Dumbledore said, "Remus Lupin has decided to barricade himself inside the room with Peter Pettigrew. While we could probably overpower him, we thought it better to attempt to reason with him. We have no time to waste."
A host of feelings swarmed through Harry all at once: remorse, anger, grief and guilt -- ending with worry for his new guardian. He remembered how he felt third year when he first confronted Sirius. He'd found out then that things are seldom how they seem. One thing he was sure about, Pettigrew was pathetic. Whatever the outcome of the afternoon for Pettigrew, he wanted Remus to come away from this situation unhurt. He'd been through enough. If he took his revenge out on Peter, he could spend the rest of his life in Azkaban with no Wolfsbane Potion to lesson his misery.
Knowing that if he didn't keep his cool, Dumbledore might leave him behind, Harry tried to calm his emotions. Years of practice with the Dursleys served him well. His face became a mask of calm as he spoke deliberately into his two-way mirror. Remus didn't answer. Harry put the mirror away and followed the Headmaster to his office.
The kitchen at Grimmauld Place was full of Order members. Kingsley Shacklebolt nodded in greeting as Dumbledore and Harry hurried through the room, up the stairs and toward the first floor bedroom where the drama was unfolding.
A distraught Tonks was at the door trying to speak with Remus. Her cheeks were stained with tears. Harry gave her a small smile. An understanding passed between the two of them. She didn't want Remus hurt any more than Harry did. Silently, she stepped aside so Harry could take a turn at the door.
"Remus, let me in. I have as much right to talk to Pettigrew as you do," Harry said forcefully, praying that Remus was just talking on the other side of the door. After a moment of silence, the door opened with a quiet click. Harry passed over the threshold.
As Dumbledore and Tonks made to follow Harry through the door, a loud growl startled them. The wild-eyed and angry face of Remus Lupin greeted them with a savage snarl. "Stay out, I'm not finished yet!" he shouted as he pulled Harry the rest of the way into the room and slammed the door, recasting a spell that Harry thought might be an anti-intruder ward.
The room was a wreck. Torn bedding and broken crockery littered the floor. Peter was sitting in a chair in the center of the room bound and gagged. His beady eyes looked frantic. His face and arms were covered with bruises and small abrasions. Wizarding photos lay on the floor around him.
Remus looked terrible. His hands were bleeding and swollen. His shirtsleeve was torn and his left forearm bore a large, blistering burn from contact with Pettigrew's silver hand. It had only been a few days since the full moon. That always made the old werewolf tired, but he looked beyond exhaustion.
He paced menacingly behind Peter, staring at the back of his prisoner's head in a dark and desperate way. Wand in hand, he asked, "What shall we do to him, Harry? Death is too good for him."
To be continued
Notes to reviewers:
Lourdes: Harry is too noble sometimes, but I promise he won't end up alone. Thanks for your review!
athenakitty: Yes, there will definitely be more pranking. I think it's pretty obvious who the prankster is, too. The sword will be an integral part of the action later. Thanks for your note!
aschowin: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I'll try to keep going. Thanks for your review!
Potter Reader: Thanks for reviewing! I think Hermione always knew Ron had it in him. She's always thought there was more to him than the "Quidditch is Life" façade. The Harry/ Ginny confusion won't last much longerRon can't take it.
Nightwing509: Harry and Ginny will reach a mutual understanding soon. One of them has to crack, even if they embarrass themselves. Thanks for your review!
Jaquelyne: Hello! The late night mirror conversations are supposed to be the teenage wizarding equivalent of the nightly phone call or IM that Muggle teenagers rely on to communicate. When I was that age, I remember speaking on the phone for hours about absolutely nothing. At least Ginny and Harry have a private line. If only they could read each other's minds. It would make for better fluff! Glad you liked the fencing lessons. Thanks for writing!
Gryphonmistress: Thanks for your wish of "good luck and a ward against writer blocks!" You're so clever. And I need all the help I can get. I hope you like the irony of their parallel dilemma. It won't last forever.
PrincessSkywalkerOrgana: Good to hear from you again. I love Ron for many reasons. I'm glad you don't mind that I made him more mature. Thanks for writing!
HappySnakesRule: Thanks for your nice comments! I'm glad you like the story so far. The relationship confusion won't be cleared up without some help from Harry's friends. But something has to changethere are adventures ahead and Harry can't go alone.
KandiG85/86: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like the story so far. I'm trying to update frequently to keep the plot twists fresh in people's mind.
A/N: Want to tell me what you think? Please review!