Harry Potter and All There Is Left To Do Is Love
by: wish on a muggle at yahoo dot com
Chapter 9: The D.A.
A/N: Sorry this one took long, it is hard to think up spells and Lupin is harder to write than I thought.
Also, it seems that another writer on FF dot net, h-potter2003, has a very similar story. The plot is very close to mine in such a way that you assume he has stolen it. A lot of the dialog is very de ja vue! I feel like I was robbed but I'm not sure if I can do anything about it, I've done up an abuse report just to say that mystory seems to be copied. It would mean the world to me if you, my faithful readers, would just continue to be loyal to me in this horrible time.
Thank you so much to TobyDog, who informed me of this. I owe you everything so I dedicate this entire fic, what is already written (and/or stolen) and what is yet to have written, to you. I know it is not much, but is all that I have to my name, thanks to you.
Harry looked up at the castle from the Hogsmeade Station. He had only been gone from the place two months but it felt like two years. Ginny held his hand all the way across the grounds. Her face was glowing and it made him feel guilty.
Hogwarts was his first connection to his world and it found it to be the only place he called home and to make his friends leave it a year early and his girlfriend to leave it two years early, it made him feel horrible.
They walked slowly past Dumbledore's ivory tomb, praying silently. Harry felt Ginny move closer to him.
Walking across the grounds towards them was they massive form of Hagrid. "I'm supposed to take yeh four to Remus!" He told them after his greeting of a bear hug.
"How's he doing?" Ron asked.
"Great!" Hagrid boomed, "Been gettin' a few hate mail, but I still do too," he added, "but I told him, I said, 'don't let that stop yeh from doin' yeh job' and he was grateful."
Hagrid pulled out his pink umbrella and tapped the great oak doors, which opened slowly allowing Hagrid, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione in. It looked exactly the same as when they left it, but Harry seriously doubted that they were going to remodel the castle a week after they left.
Hagrid led them up the grand staircase and up a few floors until they got to Lupin's office. He was waiting for them with tea and cakes. "Ahh, you're here!" He said, patting Harry on the shoulder and shaking Ron's hand. He hugged Ginny and Hermione each. Ginny giggled and touched Lupin's chin with the palm of her hand.
"Rugged," she giggled.
Lupin brought up his hand to touch the spot she did and he smiled, "I knew I forgot something this morning, but I was pressed for time," he said with a smile.
Ginny lifted her head to examine him closely, "Are you trying to tell us something?"
"Yes," Lupin said, putting an arm around Harry, "I asked Tonks to marry me and she said yes!"
Everyone congratulated Lupin and Harry silently remembered thinking about Lupin and Tonks getting engaged and wondered if he himself would ever ask Ginny. Love does exist in war time, Harry thought, if others could love in the middle of a war then so can he. But his love would have to make sacrifices because of Harry being a number one target.
"We are going to have the wedding soon, probably over Christmas break," Lupin said, snapping Harry out of his daydream of Ginny with a ring on her finger. "Harry, will you be my best man?"
Harry grinned widely, "Sure!" He said, then added, "Only if you can help us destroy the other two Horcruxes."
"Still no luck with the Cup and the Glasses, huh?" Lupin asked gravely.
"Nope," said Ginny, looking blankly at Lupin's desk, "I just feel like it is staring us in the face. Like it is right under our noses." Ginny sighed.
Lupin sat down at his desk rubbing his unshaven jaw. "Well, I do have a theory about the glasses. It is just a theory though," he added, "Voldemort has a sick sense of humor, but a sense of humor none-the-less."
Harry took a step closer, he could feel excitement swell in his chest, like being outside at a Quidditch match. Ginny was hanging on Lupin's every word, Hermione looked as though she wished she had brought a quill and parchment, and Ron looked as though nothing was going to surprise him now.
"I believe Voldemort put a charm on the glasses that can be broken by a considerably simple spell, but you have to have power behind it," Lupin explained, "I think if you four and I said it with enough passion, that we could snap Ravenclaw's glasses in two!"
Harry stood up, "What are we waiting for?"
"Christmas break." Lupin said, "I will help you the day I get we get out." He said. "But, if you come to the DA meeting today after lunch, I am teaching the spell."
"Sure, where are you meeting at?" Ginny asked.
"The Room of Requirement, of course," Lupin smiled. In the distant a bell chimed telling the school that lunch was being served.
"Why don't you three join the Gryffindor table, I'm sure your friends will be glad to see you." Lupin smiled and opened the door for them to leave his office, "Right after lunch. You can come with Neville, he is the President of DA now that you have left, Harry."
"Neville?" Harry asked, half surprised half proud of his round forgetful friend.
"Yes," Lupin grinned walking with them down to the Great Hall he sounded as though he was very proud with his decision of putting Neville in a leadership position, "You haven't seen him use his new wand? He is amazing. He even says that he is taking remedial potions to get up to scratch for his N.E.W.Ts, same thing in Transfiguration, he wants to be an Auror." Lupin opened the doors to the Great Hall and lead them inside, "I think he will make a great one."
One of the reasons he thought Lupin was fantastic was his way to find the best in people, something he said that Harry's mother could do.
Heads followed them as they walked to the Gryffindor table, which upon seeing them had erupted with cheers. "Well done Harry!" Dean Thomas yelled, "We read in the paper about you helping find Snape!"
Harry smiled, "Ginny, Ron and Hermione helped," Harry told them.
Dean smiled at Ron, giving him a large pat on the arm, "Well done, mate!"
Ron nodded and sat down. Harry and Ginny sat next to Neville. "Hello, Harry." Neville said smiling. Harry noticed a difference in his personality. He seemed like his self esteem had risen a different level. Ginny must have noticed too.
"You look great, Neville!" She said, patting his arm with a charming smile on her face.
"Thanks, Gran tricked me by sending me a potion to help me lose weight. Shetold meit was mint-flavored cough syrup." He shrugged, his voice sounding lower. Harry noticed that Neville did look thinner. "Lupin was great, nominating me for President of the DA. It was fantastic, I won by a landslide!"
"That's wonderful, Neville," Hermione said from across the table.
"I think it was just because I always went with you four and Luna when something happened, you know Department of Mysteries, the Death Eater's raid of the castle last year." Neville said, "and I'm pretty sure Gran's potion helped."
At that moment Luna showed up and sat down next to Neville, "Hello all," she said dreamily, "Ginny, I haven't seen you in Charms class lately."
Ginny smiled, "No, I haven't been at school."
"Oh," Luna said, pulling out a drawing she was doing of, what Harry thought, must have been Neville. "Order business?"
"Yup," Ginny said, "Insuring the future of all muggle-kind!" Harry and Neville laughed at this. Ron snorted into his club sandwich and Hermione gave a small smile.
Luna nodded, "Wish we could go too, but Dumbledore never told us how to get to the Head Quarters," she said in her usual dream-like tone. "Lupin told us that Dumbledore guarded it very well and his secrets on how to get there went with him to the grave." Harry wondered how Luna could talk so casually about their headmaster's death.
Ginny looked down at Luna's drawing, "Is that Neville?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Luna said, even dreamier.
Ginny looked at Neville who was bright red and had stopped eating. He nervously grabbed his goblet and tried to drink from it but it sloshed down his chin. Ginny grinned, "Are you two snogging?" She giggled. Harry smiled and looked at the two of them along with Ron and Hermione.
"Well," said Luna looking up from drawing Neville's ears, "not right now."
Ron laughed and reached across the table to pat him on the arm, "Well done!"
Neville turned bright red, "Thanks," he mumbled.
Ginny smiled sweetly, "I am so happy for you."
Luna went back down to draw and said, "What about me?"
"We are happy for you too, Luna," Harry laughed. Luna smiled and continued on to draw her boyfriend's finger nails.
After lunch, Harry followed a large group of people up several flights of stairs and to the Room on Requirement. He passed the stretch of wall three times and walked into the new DA Headquarters, it was familiar but larger for the 40 or so members.
"Hello all," Lupin boomed.
"Hello," they chorused.
"Today," Lupin said looking over their heads, "second and third years will be working in the corner on what we covered last week. Forth years will watch them and fix them if their ears turn purple. Fifth years will be working on Stunning and Shield Charms, get into pairs, and 6th and 7th years will be with me working on our next spell."
They all obeyed him and went into their respective corners. Lupin pulled the group of ten to the side along with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. He smiled and said, "Today I will teach you the Ledoin Spell." Hermione tilted her head, Harry could guess that she wasn't sure how this spell would help them destroy a Horcrux.
A few people laughed and Lupin went on, "As some of you know, the Ledoin Spell is a more practical joke spell, but still quite useful. If you produce a good Ledoin charm then it should break any common object in to. For example," Lupin pointed his wand at a small hanging mirror to his left. "Ledoin Medius!" He bellowed and from the tip of his wand issued a cloud of what looked like dust, in a matter of seconds it formed into a large fist and flung it self at the mirror, cracking it cleanly in two.
Everyone nodded. "Now put your wands away and repeat after me," he obeyed. "Leodin Medius!" Lupin nodded and fixed several people's pronunciations then waved his wand to produce a dozen lamps, "All right practice on these, then do a Repairo when you're done, then do it again." Lupin watched as they went around. Harry and Ginny took turns on their lamp and so did Ron and Hermione. Ron had trouble at first but with Hermione there he became better.
Lupin walked over to Neville who was next to them practicing, "Can you check on the second, third, and fourth years?" Neville nodded and walked, chest out, to the young kids while Lupin checked on the 5th years.
Luna moved over to Neville's lamp to be closer to them. "He has gotten really good, you know," she said in her dreamy tone, "That wand is perfect for him, I remember him two years ago in the Department of Mysteries, he was kind of a blunder, now he has gotten really powerful, like Humpled Dumpkin Greenbacks."
Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron snorted loudly. Luna looked at him with a strange, protective expression on her face, "What? He has," she said defensively.
"Um, no, it's not that--" Ron mumbled.
Hermione protected her boyfriend by snapping, "Humpled Dumpkin Greenbacks don't exist."
Ginny smiled, "When has that stopped her before, Hermione?"
Luna gave a small smile and then turned back to the lamp she was repairing.
Harry paced up and down his room. Ginny was sitting on his bed staring at him, "Putting a hole in the floor isn't going to help," she said.
Harry ignored her and kept walking. Ginny sighed, "Look, Christmas break is coming in just three weeks, you can't keep trying that stupid spell when it is just us."
Hermione nodded in agreement sitting next to Ginny and Ron (who was sprawled out on the bed), "We need Lupin, he is the only one we can trust because Dumbledore gave him orders!"
Harry opened his mouth to speak but Ginny, seeming to read his mind, interrupted him, "and about Snape's trial. You'll be fine! Just answer truthfully and Snape goes to Azkaban!"
Harry breathed deeply and took a seat on the other side of Ginny, placing his hand over her's. "Thank you." He mumbled. She smiled and kissed him softly on the cheek, her warm breath playing for a moment on his face.
Bill entered the room, "Hey, you all ready to go?" Harry stood up and fixed his polo shirt. He saw Hermione fiddle with Ron's collar before patting down her own hair. Ron gave Harry a quick thumbs up before disappearing on the spot. Hermione followed, then Harry.
He appeared in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic followed closely by Bill and Ginny, who was clutching his arm with all her might. "I hate apperating!"
Harry smiled weekly. Hermione patted him on the arm, "You will get him!"
Ron punched him in the arm, "You've got the law on your side!"
Harry rolled his eyes, "Name one time in the past 7 years that they law was ever enforced on my behalf?"
Ron laughed, "Well, Snape killed the only man You-Know-Who ever feared, although," Ron added, "I think he has someone else to fear."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"You, stupid!" Ron laughed.
"Ron!" Hermione barked.
The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, approached them. "Ah, Mister Potter, our key witness. Why don't you follow me." Harry nodded and waved his friends good bye following the Minister to an elevator that was roped off from every thing else.
The Minister pulled out his wand and tapped the doors twice. The silver doors parted and allowed Harry and the Minister entrance. "Harry," Scrimgeour started, "we at the Ministry are very pleased that you have agreed to come in today to testify against Mr. Snape."
"I'm not doing this for you, or the Ministry of Magic." Harry told him politely.
Scrimgeour glanced sideways at Harry.
"Remember: I'm Dumbledore's man, through and through." Harry smiled to himself.
"Ah, yes. Shall we go over what you are going to say?" The Minister asked.
"I know what I'm going to say." Harry set his face and said,"The truth."
The elevator doors slid open and Harry walked down the hall and into a large room when a lot of people were already. It looked like the room Harry entered repeatedly in his 4th year in the Pensieve.
Harry took a seat in front of the high table and to the left. There was a soft, grave babbling in the room and Harry noticed that most of thepeople in therewere at Dumbledore's funeral. Probably here to see the man who killed the Greatest Wizard of all time get thrown in Azkaban.
Lupin showed up behind him and took a seat as well. "I'm here as your guardian," Lupin told him. "I know you are not a child," Lupin reassured him, "but I thought you might like some company." Harry smiled and Lupin put a fatherly arm around him making Harry feel comfortable and relaxed.
A door in the corner of the room opened and in walked three Aurors, all in the same Ministry uniform and behind them was Severus Snape, followed by three more Aurors. One of them was holding two wands but set one down in front of Rufus Scrimgeour.
Harry felt his insides burn, there was the only other man besides Voldemort that he was planning on killing. There he was, feet away, and avoiding Harry's gaze. Harry felt his face distorting with fury, his hands were shaking and Rufus Scrimgeour stood up looking at Snape who was standing in front of a chair he was obliviously going to have to sit in.
"You, Severus Snape have been charged with using an Unforgivable Curse on one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," the Minister said heartlessly. "How do you plead?"
"Guilty," Snape said from his spot, his greasy hair unkempt and his eyes sunken into his lined face.
"You, Severus Snape have been charged with killing on Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. How do you plead?"
Were Harry's eyes fooling him or was Snape looking sad?
"Guilty," Snape choked.
A/N: Thank you all for being so wonderful to me and I am sorry it takes so long for these chapters, worse and worse stuff has been going on lately.
To Horace Slughorn: I also think that Ginny will call Harry a pussy and kick his ass. lol, the Horcrux was destroyed because the person who was trying to destroy it had his mind in other places...sort of like The Mirror of Erised and the SS. Only someone who wanted to find it, not use it could get it. Only someone who wanted to destroy it but was not thinking about it could do it. LOL, weird, I know.
Also to Horace Slughorn: Voldemort is jealous! Harry Potter, the boy who lived is now FUCKING living! LOL
To Last Samurai Ryu-san: I agree, let Harry have some fun before his one-on-one with the only man who went so far to insure immortality, LOL
To SailorSenshiForever: Alas, they did try their "technique" several times each on the remaining Horcruxes, but it didn't work. They are finding out new ways to destroy them, though.
Samurai Deamon-God Sekikage tells me, "I should point out now that Red-heads are ALWAYS screamers, just thought you should know. (at least from my experiences)"
I reply: Is it a good time to mention that I am a red head? LOL!
To StRaWbErRy-JaM-aNd-TeA: I see you have already read "What Happens When Friends Fall", the one that is a lotlike mine, I saw you reviewed it too and yes...you have read that strip somewhere before, in this fic:)
Messr-Paddifoots-love says, "Great story hun, but telling the world who R. A. B. is, isn't going to make J. K. happy and all. She could sue you for telling, even if you are a kid and all, but yeah, just a warning. Me and my friend thought it out after figuring who R. A. B was..."
I say: It might not be Regulus Black at all, I am just saying who I(and a lot of the Harry Potter fan world) believe it is. Plus, when was the last time an 18 year old was a kid? I am legally an adult, thank-you-very-much! Also, she can't sue someone for saying a theory about her books, FREE SPEECH LADY! Plus I really doubt she would be even reading this, and if she is...Jo, call me, I'll baby-sit anytime, I am really good with kids!
Mr. Wisdom: I am working on it! As you know, I am having problems with Lupin...:(
To Count R.P.Orlok: nostalgic (n). 1. A bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past. 2. The condition of being homesick; homesickness. Nostalgic. Hope that helps:)
To Salem Witch: Please forgive me, I'm hopeless.
To Dragon of the lost world: No need to apologize, I have had my fair share of too much sugar on my frosted flakes!
To ndgc21: Harry a screamer? Yes. I believe so, lol, I don't know. I think he is the stronge silent type except when he is mad!
Thank you for your patience and understanding!