center b Harry Potter and The Last Stand
A Romance/Action fic by Fawkes the Scarlet Phoenix
Chapter 2: Siege and Apparition /b /center
…Hermione picked up the Daily Prophet and gasped.
"Oh my God, Voldemort has attacked Azkaban!"
"What! No way!" Harry said, jumping up.
The foursome ran out of the room and into the kitchen.
"Mum, You-Know-Who has captured Azkaban!" Ron yelled.
Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Let me see the paper! I am going to Headquarters; you four stay here. Do not let anyone in! There are Anti-Apparition spells on this house, so you needn't worry about that."
"Mum can't we—," Ginny started, but was cut off.
"No!" Mrs. Weasley said, and walked swiftly out the door.
"What do we do now?" Ron asked.
"I don't know, Ron," Hermione said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"So what does this mean?" Ginny asked, "So he has a few more Death Eaters? So what?"
"Well," Hermione explained, "Now he has a base of operations. He can build up his army there. And it's also much closer to the heart of the ministry."
i Not to mention, it's doing nothing to boost the people's morale. /i Harry explained to Ginny.
i Yeah, now they're all going to be scared out of their wits. No one will go outside their houses anymore. /i Ginny answered.
"I'm going for a walk, it's dark enough now, and it's not hot anymore." Ron said.
"I'll join you, Ron." Hermione muttered, a slight pink tinge on her cheeks.
"We'll be in the Quidditch clearing!" Ron called on his way out the door.
i Fancy a walk to the lake? /i Ginny asked.
i You have a lake? Where? How come I've never seen it? /i Harry wondered. i Oh, yes, I would love to walk with you. /i Harry grinned sheepishly.
i So, this whole prophecy thing, you really want to do it? /i Harry asked tentatively.
Ginny stopped, and glared daggers at him. "HARRY JAMES POTTER, I AM GOING TO COME WITH YOU WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" she yelled, without bothering to use the link. Her hands were on her hips and she looked very Mrs. Weasley like.
"Okay, okay…" Harry acquiesced.
As they arrived at the lake, the moon started to rise.
i It's beautiful, isn't it? /i Ginny asked.
i Everything here is beautiful… /i Harry said, turning to Ginny, who was now sitting on the edge of the bank, with her feet in the water.
i Including you, /i said Harry, joining her.
Ginny leaned her head against Harry's shoulder.
Then she sat right back up, leaving Harry a little dumbfounded.
i I almost forgot! Bill and Fleur's wedding is in a week! /i Ginny said.
i Oh yeah…what were you thinking of that reminded you of their wedding? /i Harry asked, raising one eyebrow.
i Nothing, /i replied Ginny.
i Yes you were, I saw it! You were imagining yourself walking up the isle, with me waiting for you at the end. /i Harry laughed.
i Hmm…We need to establish boundaries with this link; I don't need you seeing my daydreams…even if they are about you…Hey! It's not funny! /i Ginny said indignantly.
Harry, who was now clutching his sides, was rolling on the floor laughing.
"Oh…I'll give you something to laugh about…" Ginny said. And without further ado, she pounced on him. She was grinning evilly.
Harry had an uncertain look in his eyes.
"Ginny…"
She then proceeded to tickle him.
"Ginny…stop …stop…p-please…I'm sorry…" Harry begged for mercy through gales of laughter.
She stopped and got off him. Harry propped himself up on his elbows.
"You know you really are beautiful," he said, getting up. He walked toward her.
"Harry…"
"What?"
"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked, uncertainly. She was now teetering on the edge of the dock.
"Nothing," Harry said, trying to look innocent.
"Harry, sto--," but she was interrupted by a kiss.
Harry kissed her, then tapped her on the shoulder. Ginny wobbled and fell into the lake, but not before she managed to grab him and pull him in too.
Harry felt the lukewarm water touch his skin as he went under. When Harry's head broke the surface, he looked around for Ginny, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Ginny! Ginny! Where are you? Oh bloody hell!"
i Harry! Help! A grindylow has me! /i Harry heard Ginny's plea for help through their link.
Harry took a breath and ducked in. He saw Ginny in the crystal clear water, illuminated by the grindylow's glowing yellow eyes. Harry swam faster…He grabbed onto Ginny's leg and pried the monster's fingers off of her leg. The little fingers broke off and the grindylow swam away in pain. Harry pulled the weakened Ginny back to the surface, and on to the bank. Ginny gasped and drank in a lungful of fresh air.
"Oh, Harry!" cried Ginny, collapsing onto Harry.
"Shh…it's alright…you're fine. It's my fault…I shouldn't have pushed you in."
"No it's not your fault, I tickled you, and you pushed me in. It's only fair; you didn't know a bloody grindylow was going to attack me. I'll have to talk to mum about that." Ginny said, still breathing deeply.
"So how was that for our first date?" Harry asked, bemused.
"Perfect…"Ginny replied, leaning in to kiss Harry.
"And what have we here?"
Harry and Ginny both jumped six feet in the air. Charlie Weasley was standing behind them with his eyebrows raised.
"Charlie! Hi! We were just…What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, putting on an innocent face.
"Mum sent me here to look out for you guys; she called me back from Romania to see this?"
"Well, Charlie…the thing is Harry and I…we are kind of …going out." Ginny explained, standing up and brushing herself off.
Charlie looked over at Harry, who tried to stay out of the conversation as long as possible. "Yes, Ginny and I are going out, we're together, going steady; however you want to put it."
"Whoa," Charlie said, bemused. "I didn't mean anything by it. I'm fine with you and Ginny going out. By the way, where are Ron and Hermione? I sent Bill to look for them."
"Bill! Bill is here? Where?"
"Looking for Ron and Hermione," Charlie replied.
Ginny ran toward the clearing; Harry and Charlie ran after her.
center /center
Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione were walking in the Quidditch clearing.
"Hermione, how long did you like me?" Ron asked.
"Oh…well," Hermione started. "I guess since you saved me from that mountain troll. That was very brave."
"Well, you know, all in a day's work!" Ron said, puffing out his chest.
"So, my brave night, are you going to save the world from Voldemort, thus ridding us of this evil plague?"
"Oh, my fair lady, I am honored to assist i Harry /i in anyway possible. It's his job, I'm just helping, as are you and Ginny," Ron said, "Surely this honorable act of helping still merits a kiss…or two?"
Hermione giggled and kissed him. To an observer this scene would have become quite boring, as it was a very long kiss.
"You know, your lips are going to get swollen if you two keep this up."
Ron and Hermione, just like Harry and Ginny, jumped higher than they ever did in their lives.
Bill was there chuckling. His face was very scarred, from the werewolf, Greyback. Madam Pomfrey explained that he had been very lucky to have recovered so much from the scarring.
"Bill!" Ron exclaimed, dumbfounded. "When did you get here? i Why /i are you here?
"Mum sent Charlie and I to watch over you lot. Where are the other two?" he asked.
"Probably off snogging somewhere," mumbled Ron.
"Sorry?" Bill asked.
"Er…right behind you."
Indeed, Ginny was first to burst into the clearing, followed by a tiring Harry and a panting Charlie.
"Bill!" Ginny cried, running toward him to give him a hug.
"So, where have you two been off at?" Bill asked, raising an eyebrow, making his scars stretch. Bill winced, but kept his eyebrows raised.
"I found these two snogging by the lake," Charlie explained.
Bill raised his other eyebrow, "Funny, that's what I caught these two doing."
"Hold on a second, you guys have a lake?" Hermione asked. There was a slight pink tinge on her cheeks.
"Oh honestly, where have you and Harry been, we've always had one! There's one about a half mile behind our house, beyond that hill." Ginny explained.
"Oh," Hermione said, a look of dawning realization on her face.
"Don't worry, Hermione, I didn't know about it either, until Ginny took me out there," Harry explained. "By the way, Bill, Charlie, you have grindylows in that lake, did you know?"
"Grindylows? There haven't been Grindylows in that lake since I was little. Mum cast a repelling charm on them." Bill explained.
"Well, it must've worn off, because Ginny was attacked by one while we were in the water."
"Hmm…I'll have to talk to mum about that."
center /center
After Mrs. Weasley came back from Headquarters, she started making dinner. Shortly after, Mr. Weasley arrived home from the ministry.
"Good news, Weasleys! And the Potter and Granger of course, I've been nominated as a Minister of Magic candidate!"
"Oh, that's wonderful Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley cried, giving her husband a hug.
As they sat down for dinner Harry asked, "Mr. Weasley, I was wondering if you could take me to the ministry tomorrow so I can take my apparition test?"
"Certainly, Harry! I have to take Ginny down there so she can get a U.M.L. and take her apparition test."
Ginny looked up, "U.M.L.?"
"Underage Magic License, you are going to need it if you are going to accompany Harry. And getting you an Apparition License will make the journey easier and quicker."
i Oh…you're getting a U. M. L., now you sound important! /i Harry said.
i Don't I? /i Ginny smiled sweetly at him.
center /center
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley woke Harry and Ginny up very early in the morning. On their way out the door, they grabbed a bit of toast prepared by Mrs. Weasley.
"You know how to apparate, right, Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked, walking a good distance away from the Burrow.
"Yes."
"Good, you can apparate to the ministry; if anyone asks tell them I gave you permission. Right, Ginny, hold on to Harry's arm; don't let go!"
As Mr. Weasley disapparated, Harry focused on the Ministry's atrium, the same atrium where he saw Voldemort and Dumbledore fight; the same Dumbledore who died less than four months ago. Losing his train of thought, Harry focused back on the atrium, and turned. He could feel Ginny's grip tighten, then, they were squeezed through the tiny tube that is apparition.
As they 'popped' into the atrium, Ginny gasped.
"That was awful Harry! It feels like that every time?"
"Dumbledore said it takes some getting used to."
"Yeah…whatever," Ginny mumbled.
Mr. Weasley walked up to them. "Right, we need to get Ginny's U.M.L. first."
He led them to the elevator, and pressed the button. The lift groaned down the shaft. When it opened, Harry saw a hallway not unlike the one leading to the Department of Mysteries. Mr. Weasley led them through a door on the left and walked up to the desk.
Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. "I need to get a U.M.L. for my daughter."
"Name?" asked the bored witch at the desk.
"Ginny Weasley," he said.
"Reason?"
"To save the wizarding world."
"Sure…She needs to have at least one older wizard with her, to be eligible for the pass."
"She does."
"His or her name?
"Harry Potter."
The witch's eyes widened for a second, and then drooped again.
"Okay, one second," the witch said.
A card popped out of a slot in the desk. The witch handed it to Ginny.
"Thank you very much," Mr. Weasley said.
"You're welcome. By the way, I'm voting for you!"
"Thank you, I'll do my best if I am elected."
As they walked away, Ginny glanced at her card.
center b Ginerva Molly Weasley
The holder of this card is authorized to do underage magic to save the Wizarding World; under the supervision of Harry James Potter. Should the holder of this card perform an illegal spell or otherwise abuse these rights, she will be expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. /center /b
i Oh look, it has a nice picture of you on the back too. /i Harry said, flipping it to look on the back.
i Oh very funny. /i
"Right, this is the Apparition test room; I'm going to go take care of a few things. Ginny, you and Harry go in and do as they tell you to."
They walked into a large, deserted, circular room.
A voice somewhere overhead began to speak. "Welcome. Please wait, a Ministry Official will be with you shortly."
Sure enough, a frail wizard stepped into the room. Harry instantly recognized him as Wilkie Twycross, the same wizard who had supervised the apparition practice.
"Welcome! Who's first?" he asked.
"I guess I will," Harry said.
"Hmm…I seem to remember you from Hogwarts practice. This shouldn't take long then. Alright, I am going to ask you to apparate back to the atrium, there will be a spotter there, to make sure you get there. Then you will need to apparate back. Do that successfully and you will be done."
"Okay," Harry said, a little nervous.
The man motioned to Ginny to exit the room.
Once again, Harry concentrated on the atrium that harbored memories that seemed from another life. He spun on the spot, and knew it worked. He was being squeezed into that tiny tube again. When he opened his eyes again, he was facing the Fountain of Magical Brethren. A repaired Fountain of Magical Brethren, Harry guessed. A spotter was sitting there, and waved Harry over.
"Good job! Now you will need to apparate back."
Harry nodded, concentrated, and spun; He disapparated, and then apparated back in the circular room.
"Oh, well done, well done! You have passed with flying colors." Twycross said, and with a flourish, flicked his wand, and a card appeared in Harry's hand. He glanced at it:
center b Harry James Potter
Authorized to Apparate
Certified by: Wilkie Twycross /b /center
"Now I will have to ask you to wait outside, and call that young lady in here."
center /center
Harry waited a total of thirty minutes before Ginny came out, brandishing her card. They went to find Mr. Weasley, and together apparated back to the Burrow (separately).
As they walked in the front door, Mrs. Weasley came bursting into the room.
"There's been another attack!" she cried.
"Where?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"V-Voldemort attacked the next logical target, closest to Azkaban, Durmstrang!" Hermione said, walking into the room.
A/N Haha, another cliffhanger! I like these, BWAHAHA! I'm working on the next chapter: Wedding Bells and Farewells. Thank you to those who did review, and please continue. The more people that review, the more incentive it will be to write! Happy Reading!
center --Fawkes the Scarlet Phoenix
Author of Harry Potter and the Pendant of Power and Harry Potter and the Last Stand
