Harry Potter and the Fate of Ravenclaw
By OnyxDawn
Chapter Two: So be it
or If only, if only
The next morning greeted Harry with a plethora of smells wafting into his room from downstairs. He stirred in his sleep, split in two over the choice to either stay in the warmth of his bed or follow the delectable promise of Mrs. Weasley's cooking. Finally, unable to go back to sleep, Harry opened his eyes cautiously and noted, at once, that Ron's bed looked as if it hadn't even been slept in. Curious, Harry sat up and looked around, spotting a clock that sat on the wall. It read 9:45. Reluctantly, as if wishing he didn't have to entirely leave the comfort of his bed, Harry got up and dressed, taking a short shower before he descended the stairs.
In the kitchen, all of the Weasleys (except for Charlie and Mr. Weasley), Hermione, Lupin, Tonks, and Fleur were eating a breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, and juice. Mrs. Weasley was the first to notice Harry standing in the door way, and she beamed. "Good morning, dear!" she all but cried out happily, directing Harry to the only empty chair at the table, which was between Ron and Hermione. "And happy birthday as well!" She put a loaded plate in front of him, and for one brief, shining moment, Harry was blissfully unaware of the hazel-eyed stare that was nearly penetrating his skull. When he looked up and met Ginny's eyes, he blanched and immediately looked back down. Had Mrs. Weasley purposefully put him right across from Ginny? That was hardly fair.
"Good morning, Harry," said his ex-girlfriend quietly. Harry felt extremely awkward, and couldn't force himself to look away from his eggs. Ron fidgeted next to him while Hermione argued with George over something trifle, so probably didn't notice the discomfort level rising quicker than a burnt bat could fly out of hell.
"Good, er, morning, Ginny," Harry said stiffly. Hermione, getting fed up with George, turned to Harry.
"Oh! Good morning, Harry, I didn't see you." She looked between him and Ginny for a moment before she elbowed Harry in the rib. He looked up, caught Ginny's eye, and suddenly they both burst out laughing. This was so stupid; really, they didn't need to act so awkward around each other. It was then that it fully hit Harry that he was, indeed, seventeen, and had every right to do magic. He was an adult, and today was his birthday, and he was spending it with the Weasleys: the closest family he had. He grinned at Ginny, who grinned back at him, and happily melted into the conversation that arose between Ron and his sister about the Cannons.
"They haven't won a game in ages, Ron," Ginny said. "I mean, why support them? The entire team's rubbish!"
"So what if they haven't won anything," Ron replied fervently. "It's called loyalty, Ginny. L-o-y-a-l-"
"Oh goodness, Ronald can spell! Somebody get the press!" Hermione interjected. Ron glowered at her.
"Of course I can," he shot back angrily.
"Oh, come on Ron, she was only kidding around," said Ginny reasonably.
"So what? She can't go around insulting my intelligence just because she has her nose stuck in a book three quarters of the time. Hermione, you'd never get Quidditch."
"I would too! It's just a silly game, though. And for your information, I was not insulting your intelligence."
"How could she?" Ginny asked cheekily. "There'd be nothing to insult."
"Ginny!" Ron roared, furiously, his ears turning bright red.
"It's true," Ginny snapped.
"Oh, honestly Ron, look, you're taking this all too literally!"
"Hey, just because you get to be the know-it-all doesn't mean I'm suddenly stupid!"
"I wasn't saying that!" The two glared at each other for several long moments, in which Harry and Ginny both tried very hard not to laugh. Really, Harry thought, for two people who obviously cared so very much about each other, there wasn't much to show for their friendship when it came to everyday situations.
Lupin's voice brutally yanked Harry back to the reality where he wasn't as close to Ginny as he'd like to have been. "I'm afraid I didn't get to ask you last night, Harry, how has your summer been?"
Briefly irritated, Harry swallowed the bite of toast he had allowed just a split-second before Lupin spoke before answering. "Oh, it's been fine. The Dursleys are nothing when they know that this is the last summer I'll ever see them. Happy to see me gone, they were; so they left me alone, and I won't deny being beyond pleased for the ability to truthfully say that I will never have to see them again."
Lupin chuckled softly. "I'm hardly surprised," he said. Then, glancing at Tonks who was in active conversation with Fred, he said, "This summer's been less than easy on me, but I won't deny being beyond pleased for some more…recent developments." Lupin looked slightly abashed, and Harry understood. After all, Lupin came across as a very private man, and with Tonks at his side after what Harry had witnessed in the hospital wing only a few weeks ago, it seemed as if that privacy had been breeched somehow.
About fifteen minutes later, Harry found that he was no longer hungry at all, and as conversation began to dwindle, he felt the first twinges of the day's bitterness settling upon him. Here he was, in a perfectly pleasant situation, and yet he still felt the repercussions of what had happened only two months before, and the implications of what that would mean for the future. With Dumbledore dead, Voldemort's reign in full swing, and the ever imposing threat of Harry's location being discovered by the enemy, his seventeenth birthday just didn't hold the same meaning as it might have. These precious minutes of normalcy, which might even stretch on to a few days, would have to end sometime. Having said goodbye to Ginny once, Harry didn't want to think about the pain he would have to bear to say goodbye to her a second time.
Thankfully, Ron interrupted his brooding by suggesting that they all go out and play a game of Quidditch. Hermione huffed indignantly, but followed them out to the back yard. When she was there, she conjured up a chair and summoned a book from her room.
"What, not playing?" asked Ron, who clearly enjoyed this chance to goad her.
"Of course not," she snapped, opening her book and not looking up. "Why would I want to play such a silly game?"
"Silly?" shrieked Ginny. "Jeesh, Ron was right, you really don't understand Quidditch." She grinned, however, when Hermione looked up to glare at her. Hermione simply rolled her eyes and went back to her book. Ron was furious.
"What, if I had retorted like that-"
"You wouldn't have been kidding around, Ron," Hermione retorted, not looking away from her book. "Get a sense of humour, will you?"
Harry, sensing a full-out row, quickly grabbed the brooms from the shed and tossed Ron his Cleansweep and Ginny a Comet 260 that Fred and George had nicked from the school some years back. His own Firebolt swung over his shoulder, Harry decided to act as captain, since Ron was too busy glaring at Hermione and Ginny was too busy trying not to giggle. "Okay, since there are only three of us, me and Ginny will play as chasers on opposing teams and Ron can be keeper for both of us."
"All right then," said Ginny.
"It's Ginny and I, Harry," Hermione corrected idly. Harry rolled his eyes and mounted his broom, but Ron had something else to say.
"Honestly, you don't need to correct every small misuse of grammar out there, it's not like it matters!"
"Fine, then," Hermione snapped, getting up. With a flick of her wrist and a muttered charm, the chair disappeared and she stormed back towards the house. Ron looked absolutely furious.
"Way to be a prat, Ron," Ginny said sarcastically, mounting her own broom and flying up about twenty feet into the air. They had to play lower than usual because there was a muggle village not very far away and they most certainly didn't want to be spotted. Ron followed, his mood sour.
For awhile they played Quidditch. Ron was angered even further by the fact that Ginny got the basketball they had retrieved from their father's shed to use as a Quaffle past him more than half the time. Harry, ever the natural flyer, even managed to get more than Ron was comfortable with through the goal. In the end, when Mrs. Weasley called them in for lunch, Ron was in such a foul mood that he wouldn't even talk to Harry. Ron walked ahead quickly, and Ginny stayed behind and walked at a slower pace with Harry.
"Are you going to worry about me less, Harry? Hogwarts is closed, and I'm just as much a target now as I would be standing next to you."
The words took Harry completely by surprise. He stopped short, and she stopped, turning to face him with an almost pleading look in her eyes. He stared at her for a long moment, feeling as if all the air had been shocked out of his lungs by a fierce blow of thousands of bricks. She waited patiently, and after a minute he realized that he was just standing there, gaping at her stupidly.
"Ginny, don't do this, all right? I've made up my decision, and you agreed to it. You can't come." He wanted her to understand, but really, she couldn't. She didn't know anything about the Horcruxes, or even about the prophecy, as far as he knew. It hurt to hide so much about himself from her, but he had promised Dumbledore to tell no one but Ron and Hermione. He would keep his promise to Dumbledore, and in the end, Ginny would just have to understand.
"Hogwarts is closed this year, though," she said. "I didn't even know that was a possibility when I agreed to stay behind. Oh, Harry, you really are daft sometimes. I care about you; I can't just let you disappear without even knowing what you're up to-"
"That's exactly the point," Harry lied, his voice grave. He knew, however, that Ginny believed him no more than he did himself. "You have no idea what we're looking for."
"Then tell me!"
"I can't."
"Why not? Harry, you're lying to me - you've been lying to me. Why?" She sounded so desperate, and her words were so reminiscent of what he'd been thinking for the past hour that he thought he might actually give in. But he couldn't; he had to stand strong. And if that meant giving up the girl who meant the world to him, then so be it. He'd done it before. All he had to do was hold out for a week or two longer.
"I can't tell you, Ginny," he said, his voice taking a much softer, pleading tone itself. "I promised D-Dumbledore I wouldn't tell anyone."
"You told Ron and Hermione." Adamant. Damn her.
"Yes, and Dumbledore knows-knew that," Harry's voice broke slightly and he had to look down for a moment, taking a deep breath before she met her gaze once more and continued, determined. "I can't tell anyone else. Not even you. I don't like-I hate keeping it a secret from you, but I have to. You said you understood, Ginny, please, understand now."
It would be so much easier if she weren't looking him so sombrely in the eye. She looked as if it might cry, and it felt like a stab in the heart not to be able to pull her close to him, to hold her and tell her that everything would be all right. If only he could tell her that he wasn't putting his life on the line, or Ron or Hermione's. If only he could tell her what he wanted to tell her. If only, if only, the woodpecker sighs…Harry remembered that from words Aunt Petunia had once spoken to Dudley. At the time, it had meant nothing. Now, it felt as if they were the only words that kept him alive.
"I understand," Ginny said finally, her voice hardly audible. "But Harry, oh, Harry, I worry so much about you. And it hurts; it really hurts to think that you're just rushing off into danger. If only I knew…"
"If you could know, Ginny, I'd have you at my side."
Harry then turned and started walking back to the house, unaware of the amber-eyed gaze that was coming from the window he was heading towards. Ginny stood, silently, and he knew that she was watching his back. She wouldn't move for a long time.
Inside the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley greeted Harry with an odd, sad expression. She hugged him unnecessarily and had him sit next to Ron, at the end of the table, and across from Bill (who had recovered nicely from his injuries, but would still be scarred for life) and Fleur. Harry couldn't help but think that this was Mrs. Weasley's attempt at telling him she very much approved of what he'd just told Ginny. Of course, how she could possibly know Harry didn't bother to think about.
When Ginny finally came in, Harry had managed to convincingly appear as if he were a part of the conversation between Hermione and Fleur. Ron was still sullen and glared at his food as he stabbed his chicken fiercely.
"Zee wedding will be on zee eleventh," Fleur was saying as she flipped her flowing hair away from the table dramatically. "I zeenk zat it will be wondrous to hold it on Ginny's birthday. And she will make such a pretty flower girl!" Hermione looked as if she were trying to keep a straight face.
"Oh, that does sound wonderful," she said.
"She doesn't even care," Ron muttered next to Harry. Harry didn't quite know how to respond to that; he was too busy trying to avoid Ginny's gaze. Fortunately, Ron continued, giving Harry the excuse to say nothing and stare determinedly at his plate. "I mean, you'd think that she'd be nicer after what happened last year. It isn't as if she didn't have a hand in what happ-"
"Shut up."
Ron blinked, and then realised just exactly what he was going to say. His eyes widened. "Bloody hell, Harry, I'm sorry. You know that's not what I meant."
"Yeah," said Harry bitterly. He had enough problems as it was; he didn't need Ron and Hermione to be at each other's throats for all the life as if they were bitter enemies. "You two should stop fighting so much; you might find that you actually like each other."
Much to Harry's surprise, Ron actually blushed at that. "Er, yeah," he said, looking back at his plate.
Later, when Ron and Harry had gone upstairs to get a book for Hermione (Ron had seemed particularly odd about this, but Harry didn't question), Harry finally decided to act. "You know how obvious you are?" he said. Ron blinked.
"Wha?" he asked.
"You and Hermione," Harry said. Much to his delight, Ron's ears turned dark red and he looked down, fishing through his trunk. Harry found that a bit odd - after all, they were looking for Hermione's book - but he ignored it. "I really meant what I said downstairs. You two should stop fighting so much; you might find that you really like each other."
"Shut up, Harry, I don't like Hermione, er, like that. I mean, this is Hermione we're talking about here. You know: bushy-haired know-it-all who tagged along with us in first year?" Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron. He scowled. "You're being unre-"
"Then why'd you break it off with Lavender?" Ron blanched.
"That's got nothing to do with it, mate," Ron retorted, sounding highly uncomfortable. "She was getting to clingy. Honestly, Won-Won? Who wouldn't break up with that?"
Harry just rolled his eyes. "You know it, I know it and, hell, if Hermione doesn't know it then she isn't the girl I've known for the past five years. You two are just being too stubborn."
"She doesn't like me like that," Ron said, sinking onto his bed and forgetting about whatever book it was they needed to find. He sounded rather lost. "I mean, she thinks I'm the most annoying git to cross the surface of the planet."
"And you think that of her, too," Harry said, shrugging. "Don't ask me how it works. I mean, you two are so obvious that the only person who doesn't see it is you - and maybe Hermione."
"She doesn't see it 'cause it isn't there," said Ron shortly. "Come on, we've got to get back downstairs."
"I thought we needed to get Hermione's book?"
"Yeah, well, we don't. Let's go."
Confused, Harry followed Ron downstairs. Much to his surprise and fear, all of the lights had been dimmed and there was nobody in sight. Ron, however, was quite suddenly grinning.
"Ron, what's going on?" Harry asked. Ron smirked, turned on a kitchen light with the flick of his wand, and suddenly-
"Surprise!"
They all jumped out at him. Harry nearly jumped a foot in the air and he blinked several times.
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered.
"Don't curse," Hermione admonished, beaming as she threw his arms around him. "Happy birthday, Harry!"
Hermione and Ron seemed to forget that they were fighting, and the air around the Burrow lightened by a tenfold throughout the next several hours. Presents were opened, cake was devoured, the floor was emptied so that there could be dancing to the new Weird Sister's CD that Tonks had brought, and everybody was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Even Ginny and Harry managed to relax around each other.
Finally, as the festivities began to die down, Hermione found both Harry and Ron and dragged them off into a corner. She was grinning, but when she turned to face the two of them, her grin faded and her expression turned serious.
"What's up?" Ron asked.
"The wedding isn't until the eleventh, guys," Hermione replied, biting her lower lip.
"Yeah," Harry said, frowning. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I think we need to leave before then," Hermione replied. "You know, we can spend a few days at Godric's Hollow and then have it over with in time to return for Bill and Fleur's wedding, and then we can really go. We'll be saving up so much time."
Ron looked oddly pale. "Hermione," he said, "I haven't even told mum that we'll be going. And we can't apparate yet. Dad's not taking us 'till the fifth to get our license."
Harry, however, thought this was a great idea. "Yeah, but there's still time between the fifth and the eleventh," he said. "Why don't we leave after our exams, pass or fail? And we can tell your parents then, too. I don't want these next few days to be ruined."
"I wasn't planning on telling them until the last minute," Hermione agreed.
"What if something goes wrong?" Ron asked. "I mean, what if we run into something at Godric's Hollow and can't make it back here in time?"
"Oh, Ron," Hermione said, and she threw her arms around him. "We have to go eventually."
"That's-that's not-" but then he caught Harry's eyes and finally gave in, clinging to Hermione for all the world as if she were his lifeline. Harry moved slightly so he could catch Hermione's gaze, and he nodded. She smiled at him, and then Harry turned and went off to thank everybody for the party.
The next few days passed in much the same way, with cheerful moments and sombre moments. Harry spent most of his time with Ron and Hermione. He tried to avoid Ginny, but when he couldn't, he acted as normal as possible around her and made sure to keep the topic away from anything too serious. As the wedding grew closer, Fleur and Mrs. Weasley began jumping around the place, cleaning, making arrangements, and giggling together like school girls. The Delecours would be arriving on the eighth, so there was much talk about that.
On the morning of the fifth, Mr. Weasley got Harry and Ron up at about six. Groggily, Harry got dressed and managed to steal the first shower. When he, Ron, and Mr. Weasley were ready, they took the floo to the Three Broomsticks at Hogsmead. They then walked the rest of the way to The Apparation Centre. It was a small, decrepit building, but inside it looked oddly like a very well-furnished hotel lobby. The carpet was deep red with yellow patterns here and there, and the walls had cream-coloured wall paper. At the mahogany counter-top, a young witch stood, filing her nails.
When she saw Mr. Weasley, she nodded to a door off to the right. Inside the room there were several people taking apparation exams. A young man with tufty, owl-like hair retrieved Harry and directed him to a hoop on the wooden floor. "Good morning, Mr... Potter," he said, looking at the sheet of paper that Mr. Weasley had handed him. He blinked when saw this, and did a double take, eyes flickering up to Harry's scar. "Good lord," he whispered. Harry fidgeted beneath the grey-eyed gaze. He was used to this, but it still made him feel like some sort of animal on display.
"Well, this will be a story to tell the Missus!" he said happily. "My wife's a great fan of yours. Thinks you're a right young hero, she does. She'll be in a fit when she learns I met you." He grinned at Harry, who tried his best to smile politely. It came out as a rather odd grimace, though, and the man seemed to get the hint. "No matter," he said. "Anyway, good morning to you, Mr. Potter. I'm Robert Haman and I'll be your apparation guide today. You know what you're doing, I gather?" Harry nodded. "Excellent, excellent. Step into the hoop. I want you to apparate to the Three Broomsticks for me, will you? I'll come with you. Right in front of the third stool to the left in front of Madam Rosmerta's wonderful bar! Right, right!"
Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. "Remember the three D's!" the examiner shouted. Harry tried, bringing to mind the three words that had been pounded into his head over and over again. And then, with a jolt, he felt all of the air squeeze out of his lungs as he was forced through what felt like a thin rubber tube. When he opened his eyes, he was exactly where he was supposed to be, and, as far as he could tell, he hadn't left any body parts behind.
"Excellent, excellent!" cried Mr. Haman, appearing behind him. "Now, back to your hoop!" Harry repeated the process from before and came back in his hoop. "A natural!" Mr. Haman said, beaming. "Absolutely wonderful. Now, you'll go back to the main lobby with this ticket," he handed Harry a yellow stub, "and they'll get you on the records in no time!" And with that, Harry did as he was told.
Ron was in the lobby as well, grinning from ear to ear like a mad rabbit. "I passed!" he yelled. "Did you?"
"Yeah," said Harry, elated. He put the ticket on the counter and the witch took it, moving about. She conjured a small badge with her wand and handed it to Harry.
"If you're caught apparating without that on you," she said, sounding bored, "you'll be arrested. Congratulations on passing your exam. NEXT!"
Back at the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley was waiting with hugs and congratulations of her own for Ron and Harry. However, they quickly dispersed and trudged upstairs, where they met Hermione in Ron's room. Putting a silencing charm on the door, the three sat in a circle on the floor.
"You guys ready?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," said Ron, his face pale but set, ready for whatever tasks lie ahead.
Hermione nodded. "Always, Harry," she said.
"You sure?" Harry asked. "I mean, now's your chance to back out. You guys really don't have to do this."
Hermione laughed. It was a strangled sort of sound, but reassuring all the same. "Harry, we're coming with you. We'll be at your side no matter what."
Ron nodded. "Yeah, Harry. Follow you through the depths of hell and back. Just as long as we're back in time for the wedding."
Hermione giggled, and Harry tried his very best not to allow the lump in his throat to take control of him. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Finally, he was able to force a, "thanks," out. Hermione shrieked suddenlyand pulled Harry into a hug. He felt tears trickle down his neck and held her awkwardly. Ron coughed.
"Oh, Harry," said Hermione. "We'll always be with you, you know that, right?" Harry nodded and patted her back.
"You two are the greatest friends anyone could ever hope for," he said, his voice breaking slightly and rather higher pitched than he liked.
"Do you know where Godric's Hollow is?" Hermione asked, after pulling away from Harry and wiping her cheeks. Harry nodded.
"Yeah," Harry assured her, "I asked Prof-er, I asked Remus awhile back. As long as you're touching my arm when we apparate, we'll all get there since I know where we're going." He bit his lip nervously. "Are you guys absolutely sure?"
"Yes!" Hermione said, hitting Harry's arm playfully.
"If you keep asking us that," Ron said in a mock-accusing voice, "we'll start to think that you're actually trying to get rid of us."
Harry grinned. "Fine, then," he said, standing up. His grin faded. "Let's go tell your parents."
Ron and Hermione stood up next to him, each with a fierce look of determination on their face. Ron stilllooked a bit pale, and Hermione was trembling slightly. "I can't believe we're actually going to do this," she whispered in a small voice. Harry almost said something about the fact that she didn't have to do this, but Ron silenced him with a look.
Ron lifted the silencing charm from the room and the trio cautiously walked downstairs, trying to savour these last few minutes of familiarity. When they finally got downstairs, they found Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Fleur all sitting in the living room. Harry coughed to catch their attention, looked to Ron and Hermione for support, and then met Mrs. Weasley's frightened eyes. It was as if she could tell something wasn't going to turn out how she wanted it to.
"Mrs. Weasley," said Harry quietly, "we're…can we talk to you and Mr. Weasley? Alone?" He bit his lip and looked down at the floor. Mr. Weasley came in from the kitchen holding a tray of tea.
"They already know, Harry," said Ginny. "I told them."
Harry gaped at her.
"Just now," she said in a rush. "I heard you guys going upstairs together. I knew what you were planning to do. You can go."
Harry nodded. He looked back at Mrs. Weasley.
"Take care of yourselves," she said, sounding choked. There were tears welling up in her eyes.
"We will, mum," said Ron. "And we'll be back in time for…" he trailed off, his head jerking towards Fleur.
"Oh, you are so brave!" Fleur cried. She sprung up from the floor and hugged Ron and Harry, kissing them each on the cheek. Hermione looked comically furious, but accepted Fleur's hug all the same.
Chapter three preview: So, they're finally hauling their butts off to Godric's Hollow, where they might just find that love letters are more important than first thought. What's going to happen now? THE SUSPENUSE 0.0 IT'S MIND BOOGLING!
4eva-lost: Yay! My first reviewer! Thank you!
bandgsecurtiyaw: Thank you!
Estalio: I sent your chapter to Kathleen…if she hasn't gotten it, that just means the email services are freaking out again! Wizards can't apparate on Hogwarts grounds, but they can most anyplace else. That is, unless there are wards on it. And the Browns murders are not spoilers. I made that part up myself. The only spoilers were um…well…just read HBP, will ya? lol! Thank you!
And thanks to all of the people who have put this fic on their story alerts and favourite stories list! I feel so loved!