A/N: I do not speak Gaelic, much to my displeasure. There are a few phrases included within the chapter, and I'm terribly, terribly sorry if I've mangled the hell out of them. I did my best to find a reliable translation of what I wanted to say, but alas – this is the WWW we're talking about. So, no disrespect is meant at all!!! Thank you moonfairyhime for betaing.
DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters – although I sure wish I did!
Chapter 39: Charlie"Lupin, your display of complete ineptitude…"
"Snape shut it before I…"
"Sirius, please. Severus. I know we're all frustrated…"
"Hey!" There was silence. All eyes swiveled towards Neville. "Adults," the sandy haired boy pointed at the men, "teenagers." He pointed at himself, Blaise and Sasha. "Adults." He pointed again at the men and then back at himself once more. "Teenagers."
The glower Severus directed their way was quite impressive. "Quite adept, Mr. Longbottom, but if you would care to explain –," he was stopped by Remus' hand on his arm. He jerked away from the werewolf's touch, turning his dark glare on the other man. "Now see here Remus…"
"Great Merlin they're pissy today." Sasha rolled her eyes and grabbed Neville's arm, dragging both boys to the other side of the room while the adults continued to bicker. "C'mon. I have an idea. Let's leave the children to their tantrums." There were muffled snorts and a nasty glare cast their way, but Sasha ignored them. "Here," she thrust a candle at Blaise. "Hold that. I've got matches in here somewhere…" she thrust her arm into her rucksack, chewing on her lower lip absently as she did rooted around in it.
"Why are you lighting a candle the muggle way?" Blaise eyed her oddly, holding the candle away from his robes uncomfortably.
"Because, if you had been listening instead of sticking your tongue down Neville's throat you would know that we're in a section of the dungeons that are reacting violently to any spells whatsoever, so we have to be careful to not use any frivolous incantations around the wards." She sighed and slipped her arm in to the shoulder, ignoring the scandalized look Blaise was giving her. "There we go – ow!"
Heads whipped around and the adults hurried over to see what was the matter. Sasha withdrew her hand, the matches clutched tight, but her fingers bloody. She dropped the bag on the ground and glared at it, shakily lighting the candle before anyone could stop her.
The candle sputtered, but soon flared to life. Severus snatched up the girl's hand, turning it over in the light carefully. "Whatever is in you bag –,"
Neville's startled gasp caused them to spin around. Where the adults had been standing was a man; he was short and stout, clothed in monk-like robes that did nothing to conceal his round belly. He was mostly bald, with a thin fringe of white hair near the base of his skull. He blinked at them a few times, his hands clapped to his stomach, before a large grin suddenly broke out over his face. "O mo realtas, Danu! Di duit!"
Sasha looked at Blaise, who looked at the candle and then down at her bloody hands. "What did you cut yourself on now?"
Sasha smiled wanly at him, her eyes wide.
The stranger frowned slightly, harrumphing quietly as they talked. He peered at Sasha and drummed his fingers on his belly absently. His head tilted to the side, then abruptly he snorted. "Hello!"
Sasha jumped. Blaise jerked, but did not drop the candle. Sirius, Remus and Severus all had their wands held tightly in their fists. Neville wound his hands into Blaise's robes, his eyes wide.
The man's smile returned. "This –," he waved a chubby hand, "English soil, yes?"
They all exchanged a glance. "Scottish now." Severus lowered his wand slowly, eyeing the man warily. He inched forward until he was standing in front of the children, partially blocking them from the man's view.
The man's eyebrows shot upwards. "The English bastards have been trounced have they?" He rocked back and forth on his feet, a flush of color rising to his cheeks. "I always said the oppression would go too far…" he trailed off, staring at the wall blankly for a moment. "I really should mark that down…"
Sasha blinked rapidly, a line appearing between her brows. She looked down at her hands and then back up at the candle Blaise was holding. She leaned in a peered at it, grabbing Blaise's hand to stop him from moving away. She jerked back after a moment, her eyes wide. "You're Ogma!"
The God of Learning turned and smiled at her. "Of course I am, child. Who are you?" He peered around Severus' frame, ignoring the warning look that the Potions Master sent his way."S-Sasha." The dark haired girl blinked a few times at the god. "You – you – hi." She blushed a brilliant crimson and shook her hair out of her face. "I didn't – I mean, it was just supposed to be a guidance spell, not an actual summoning…"
Neville laid a hand on her shoulder as she continued to babble. Ogma smiled warmly at them, patting his girth gently. "Och, child. It has been an age since last I felt my name inscribed in ritual form." He closed his eyes briefly, tilting his head back and taking a deep breath. "Hogwarts is where we are, if I'm not mistaken?"
"Y-yes." Remus licked his lips nervously, glancing between the girl and the god. Sirius was nearly vibrating with tension at his side, his wand clasped tightly in his hand.
Ogma glanced at him briefly, dismissing him, and turned his gaze back to Sasha. "Is it?"
Sasha glanced up at Severus, who moved around to stand behind the girl, resting his wandless hand on her shoulder. "Yes. This is Hogwarts," she took the handkerchief Blaise handed her and pressed it to her palm, wincing when the cloth came in contact with her cut.
"And why have you called for guidance, child?" Ogma laced his fingers together and rested them on top of his stomach, a small smile gracing his face. All of his attention was on her, ignoring the others in the room completely.
"I – we're having problems bolstering the wards." She tried to take a step forward, but the Potions Master's grip kept her in place. "All of the layering spells we've tried don't work…"
"Ah, well." Ogma quirked an eyebrow at the man behind Sasha but shrugged faintly. "That's where you're going wrong. The spells here are not layered, like paint, oh no…" He shook his head slightly, faint lines appearing around his mouth and eyes as his smile grew larger. "By mortar, brick and blood were they laid. By mortar, brick and blood will they stay." He winked at her, his eyes twinkling madly and then he disappeared.
"What the hell was that?" Sirius shook himself and rubbed at his arms, eyeing the spot where Ogma had just been. He took a step closer to Remus, brushing his shoulder against his lover's.
"I – I –," Sasha shrugged and swallowed thickly, fidgeting under their combined stares. "Before we came down here…I – I found a spell a few days ago. Was just supposed to help us…you know, head in the right direction. I never thought…" She shook her head and let up pressure on her hand, wiping off the excess blood slowly, keeping her gaze down until the heat from her cheeks faded.
"But the spilt blood and candle – flame and fuel. Hmm," Remus at the back of his neck absently, nodding. There was a gleam in his eyes as he turned back to where the God had been standing. "What did you cut yourself on anyhow?"
"A quill." They stared at her. "What?" She shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny, wincing as blood began to well once more in the cut.
"You cut yourself on your quill?" Severus let his hand drop from her shoulder, a small smile flying across his face. He caught Sirius staring at him and scowled harshly, turning away from the animagus with a muted snarl. Sirius ducked his head to hide his own grin.
"Yes, sir." Sasha shrugged and glanced up at her Head of House, an embarrassed smile on her face. "I jammed my hand on it actually, pretty hard too."
Neville took her hand and tilted it towards the candle. He frowned and poked at the gash, ignoring her yip of pain. "Here," he took the ruined handkerchief and folded it carefully, pressing it tight to her palm before securing it in place. "That'll do for now. You have keep more pressure on it, or it'll continue to weep blood. Don't dab at it."
"Good work, Neville," Remus smiled at the sandy haired teen, who flushed at the praise. Blaise covered his mouth with his free hand, hiding his smile at his boyfriend's blush.
"Five points to Slytherin," Neville gaped at the Potions Master, who was smirking at Sirius. The animagus growled under his breath and looked as though he were about to say something.
"So!" Blaise kicked Sasha in the ankle, getting her attention – and her glare. "The wards?" He raised an eyebrow at the adults, who stared at him blankly for a moment.
"Ah, yes." Severus sneered at Sirius before turning and crossing the room, coming to a stop a step away from where Ogma has stood. "By mortar, brick and blood…" He frowned and folded his arms across his chest, staring at the wall.
"If they're not layers then the wards are a type I've never heard of." Sirius pulled a chair out from one of the desks and sat heavily in it, resting his elbows on his knees. Remus placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head slightly, frowning.
"I'm sure that's a surprise to us all, Black." Severus leaned forward and touched the wall with a long finger, pulling away and rubbing at the residue left on his skin.
"Stuff it, Snape." Remus' hand tightened on the animagus' shoulder.
"Sirius –," The werewolf pinched the bridge of his nose tightly, a pained expression on his face.
"I think it means the builders mixed their blood in with the mortar!" Silence descended as they turned to stare at Neville. The sandy haired boy stood his ground, a flush spreading across his cheeks and up to his ears. "I mean…the – the – Ogma said, 'by mortar, brick and blood' right? Well, the builders could have mixed an offering of blood into the walls of the dungeons instead of just placing the spells after the building was completed – I mean, look how fast the – that – er, God came when Sasha cut her hand?" Neville snapped his mouth shut and dropped his gaze to the floor, trying to keep himself from babbling any further.
"That is a very good hypothesis, Mr. Longbottom." Severus nodded slowly, tapping a finger against his lips. Neville ogled at the Potions Master, his jaw going slack as the older wizard complimented him yet again. "Yes, the element of earth would be in the mortar, air is in both the bricks and the mortar, water…"
"Is in the mortar too, we know that Snape." Sirius crossed his legs at his ankles, ignoring the hateful glare sent his way. Remus sighed and dropped his hand from the animagus' shoulder, rolling his eyes at his lover's surliness.
"And the element of fire comes from the bricks!" Sasha flexed her hand carefully, wincing a bit at the pull of the cloth against the skin. "So their prayers and their spells mixed in with the very stones of the school, making it all connected rather than layered one upon the other."
"And thus, much stronger and harder to break." Severus dropped his hands to his sides and ran a hand along the rough wall, frowning as he studied the dark stones intently. "But that still does not answer how we are to combine the shielding spells that we know and the ancient spells the builders used."
"Maybe…" Blaise frowned and looked at Neville. "What if we took our own blood and offered it up as a sacrifice?""What!" Sirius was on his feet in an instant, gaping at the sable haired boy.
"Quiet, Black." Severus' eyes were dark as he considered Blaise's words.
"That boy just suggested –," Sirius drew in a deep breath, his face taking on a fine flush. "Look, that's blood magic…"
"Shut up, Black." The Potions Master favored him with an icy glare, which shut the animagus up mid-rant. "Mr. Zabini had a very valid point. If the ancient builders were not adverse to using blood magic, than neither should we be in attempting to reinforce the wards." Severus dropped his hand from the wall and took a step back, his gaze raking over the wall consideringly.
"But…" Sirius looked to Remus, but found his lover steadily not looking at him. "Alright, alright." His shoulders slumped and he held his hands up in surrender. "Maybe that's the way to go about doing it – but lets try all avenues first, okay?" He looked at Remus pleadingly. The werewolf studied the former Auror for a long moment before nodding slowly.
"Alright, Sirius. We'll try the layering spells one more time and if they still don't work then we'll try Blaise's suggestion." Remus sighed and pushed his hair out of his eyes tiredly. "Let's get started."
qpqp
In the end they tried every spell they knew – and a few Sirius chimed in with that none of the Slytherins had ever heard before. The animagus refused to tell them his sources after a rather spectacular display of failed magic that caused Severus' hair to turn purple for several minutes and left the rest of the room's occupants ducking for cover. The Potions Master had been anything but pleased.
Typical shielding spells bounced off of the wards in the dungeons, never sticking in place or more commonly fading within seconds of being cast. They tried tying the spells to an object, but in all of their experiments the object quickly crumbled, becoming dust within minutes of the spells being cast. Occasionally the warding spell bounced off the old wards and had the caster diving for cover until the rest could get the spell under control, which was difficult since the most basic spells they tried to cast sometimes came out much more…amplified than they originally meant them to be. Finally they were left with one last option – a blood ritual.
Severus offered up his own arm before any of the others could speak up. He eyed Remus warily as Sasha dug up a small utility knife from her bag, handing it over to the Potions Master with wide eyes. He carefully made an incision on his right arm, letting the blood drip down and splash onto the floor messily, but making sure none of it splattered onto his shoes.
"Should we say anything?" Neville wrapped a hand into Blaise's robes and watched his Head of House with big eyes, his lower lip trapped tightly between his teeth.
"I dunno," the sable haired boy shrugged and patted Neville's cold hands gently. "Maybe?"
Severus glared at them and fidgeted slightly, wiping the knife off on his robes and handing it back to Sasha without looking at her. He glared at Remus and Sirius before clearing his throat noisily and rolling his eyes. "Cast the bloody spells already."
"Is someone getting sicky because of the sight of blood?" Sirius smirked at the other man, but grunted as Remus' elbow made contact with his side. He glanced at his lover and snapped his mouth shut at the look on the werewolf's face.
Remus raised his wand and cast a common warding spell. The magic spun out of the werewolf's wand, swirling around the blood still dripping off of Severus' arm, and then fit against the walls of the room, flaring once before it faded. They held their breaths. The magic held for a minute. Two minutes. But at three, the magic buckled and warped before finally crumbling.
"Blast." Severus dropped his arm and pressed the sleeve of his robe against the cut, staring at the walls furiously. "That should have worked."
Sasha moved forward, staring at the blood on the ground carefully. She looked up at the walls and then back down at the ground. She hauled her rucksack up onto the table and dove into it, pulling out her ancient runes text. She flipped through a few pages before finding the one she wanted. She then unwrapped the bandage around her hand, flexing the appendage a few times, working the blood to the surface. Neville stepped up to her side, looking over her shoulder at the book in front of her.
"What are you doing?" The adults were still ignoring them, debating amongst themselves the best way to go about the next attempt.
Sasha shrugged. "I'm going to try something." She propped the book up on the table near the candle, eyeing the image on the page carefully. She took a deep breath and poked at the gash on her hand, frowning at the small amount of blood available. Before either boy could stop her, she brought up the knife in her hand and dug deeper into her palm, hissing in pain. She dipped her fingers into the welling blood of the cut and then began to trace a rune on the wall, ignoring the startled exclamations from the boys and the adults' sudden interest.
The change in the room was immediate. A low hum swept through them, the deep vibrations causing the table to shudder and the candle to flicker. Blaise grabbed the candle and lifted it off the table before it could tip over, holding it up so that Sasha had more light. The girl spared him a pained smile and then turned back to her hand, biting her lip harshly as she pulled on the skin, causing the blood to well. She ignored the three older wizards that appeared at her side and concentrated on her task, ignoring the looks she was getting from the men.
Once the rune was done, she stepped back, licking her lips nervously. Severus immediately snatched up her hand and pressed his own handkerchief to the wound, glaring at her blackly. "Idiot child!" He shook his head as the white cloth quickly turned crimson. "What were you thinking!"
"Shh," Sasha pulled at her hand halfheartedly, but let the older man fuss over it as much as he wanted. "I think it's working." Indeed, the image glowed brightly and then slowly faded, the blood and the light spreading out over the surface of the wall. The magic around them shuddered, shook – and then held.
They all let out a collective breath. "It worked." Sasha sagged in relief and then winced as Severus pressed the cloth to her wound more securely.
"Somewhat." Remus approached the wall, a small frown on his face as he studied the rune Sasha has inscribed on the wall. "It's only this room that's been warded. If we want to ward the entire dungeon…" He let out an explosive breath, blowing his bangs out of his eyes as he rubbed at the back of his neck.
"Then we're going to need more volunteers." Sirius raised his eyebrows at their combined stares. "I do occasionally say something intelligent, you know." He folded his arms across his chest and glowered at his lover, tilting his chin up stubbornly.
Remus smiled widely at him, his amber eyes sparkling, saying nothing. The Slytherins rolled their eyes and turned back to issue at hand.
qpqpqpqp
The Morrigan flew through the Dark, her obsidian eyes scanning the black for any sight of movement. Her sisters walked the Paths, their bright auras beacons in the Dark. One by one the Paths lit up as the Goddesses walked them, spreading out in an ever-increasing spiral, searching for their brethren, but no sign had been found of Gwyn ap Nudd, nor any of the other Gods. The dark goddess snarled at the mists, spiraling higher and farther into the Dark. Gwyn ap Nudd, her golden eyes flashed as she dove further into the mists, where are you?
Rosmerta was at a crossroads, her hand resting on the signpost when she froze, her head whipping to one side as she listened intently. A scent wafted past her nose and she paled, fisting her hands into her skirts as her heart began to pound in her throat. She glanced up into the Dark, squinting as she searched for the Morrigan – but the older goddess was nowhere to be seen. Rhiannon was close, Rosmerta could feel her presence in the Dark, steadily coming closer. She bit her lip and took a hold of her skirts, pulling them out of the way as she ran towards the other Goddess' presence, not willing to wait. It simply can't be possible, she shook her head and laughed suddenly, a wild light entering her eyes as she ran. It can't!
Dian Cecht looked up from the book in his hands, the hair on the back of his neck rising. He rose from his seat and crossed to the window, looking out over where the rolling fields of his lands once were. The structure of the Otherworld had collapsed to such a state that nothing was left of the suns and moons that used to rise and fall at their creator's whim; and the lands which had once held the faithful lesser spirits of the Otherworld had vanished long ago, leaving only the ruins of his holding and nothing more.
Dian Cecht stared out into the Dark, the prickle moving down from his neck and sweeping across his skin. He blinked furiously, shaking his head slightly at the sight evolving in front of him.
A sea was rising from the mists.
qpqpqpqp
Harry sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. He had a faint headache that simply wouldn't go away – but he wasn't about to mention that to anyone. Not if I want to get out of the Ward before I'm twenty. He rolled his eyes and snorted, dropping his hand to his side as Draco poked his head around the door and looked in on him.
The blond smiled at him, slipping in the door and closing it behind him quietly. Draco crossed the room and perched on the edge of the bed, reaching out to run his fingertips down Harry's cheek. "Hey."
"Hey." Harry leaned in to the touch, the room around him becoming more solid the longer the blond was near him. "Think I can get out of here yet?"
Draco frowned, glancing towards the door where they could both hear Madam Pomfrey and Severus arguing. "I don't know." He shrugged and scooted closer to the smaller boy. "I'm not even sure it would be best to let you out of the Ward…after all, it hasn't even been a day since…"
Harry silenced the other boy by placing his fingers on Draco's lips. "Shh." He cocked his head to one side and listened. "Can you hear that?"
Draco's eyes widened as he stared at Harry. "Hear what?" He reached up and grasped the other boy's hand, holding it gently in his own.
"A thousand violins playing 'the world weeps for me'." Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head, a wide smile spreading across his face at Draco's outraged expression.
"Potter don't you dare joke about a thing like that!" Anger lit up Draco's pale eyes, making them sparkle. He pulled away from Harry, his hands balling into fists at his side as he stared at the green eyed boy. "That wasn't funny."
Harry's smile faltered and finally died away completely. He stared at Draco solemnly, a painful knot in his throat. "I know." He looked away from Draco, blinking rapidly. "But if I don't joke about it then I have to actually think about it. And if I really think about it, things start to…happen. And I –," he swallowed painfully and ran his palms over the bedspread, "I don't want to think about it – about anything just yet. Alright?"
"Hey," Draco was suddenly at his side and wrapping the other boy into a tight embrace. Harry curled his hands into the other boy's soft clothes, burying his head into Draco's neck. The blond ignored the warmth that splashed against his skin as he soothed circles into Harry's back. "Shh. I'm sorry. I didn't think…"
"You didn't know." Harry shuddered and went limp, allowing Draco to pull him into his lap. "It – it's better when you're around. Everything seems…clearer. More firm."
"What do you mean?" Draco pulled the covers around them and rested a cheek against the dark hair under his chin.
Harry shook slightly and slipped a hand under Draco's shirt, pressing flesh to flesh. He took several deep breaths and let them out slowly, listening to the blonde's heartbeat. "When…when I'm alone…it's like," he frowned and shifted closer to the larger boy, "it's like the room fades away. Sometimes. Not all the time. But sometimes…" he let out a long breath, "Things start to slide. There are things whispering, moving, just out of the corner of my eye. And sometimes I think –," Harry shuddered, "Sometimes I think I hear the ocean and I don't know why…"
"Shh…" Draco's heart contracted as Harry spoke. He slipped the smaller boy's shirt away from his body and slid his hands against the pale flesh, frowning when he found the skin chilled. He lay back with Harry in his arms, pulling the boy close and rubbing his back gently. "We're miles from the ocean, Harry. Maybe it's your ears? I remember Millie saying something about that once…"
"No." Harry sniffed and turned his head, resting it against the blonde's shoulder. "It's not that." The green eyes were dark as he stared past Draco at the wall. "But it's one of the reasons why I want out of here." He closed his eyes briefly. "If – if I'm around other people, then I won't be able to hear it. It'll just fade away like background noise and I can try and be normal for a while."
Draco brought up one hand and buried it in the dark hair, tilting Harry's head back until he could look into the green eyes. "But when I'm here the – this feeling goes away?"
Harry nodded slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah," he searched Draco's face – only slightly blurry from such a close proximity. "It does."
"Good." Draco leaned forward and kissed Harry gently, pulling back after a moment and pressing the dark head back down to his shoulder. "It's a good thing I already promised I'd never leave you then." He brushed his lips over Harry's forehead, carding a hand through the dark locks. "You're mine – and a Malfoy never lets go of what's his."
The smaller boy snorted, but relaxed under Draco's touch. He let the blond comfort him, clinging to the larger frame as hard as he dared. The room spun around them slightly and he closed his eyes tightly against the rising sound of waves. Please, lemme get out. Let me be around other people…I don't want to hear this anymore…
qpqpqpqp
The Great Hall was noisier than usual. Classes had been cancelled for the second day in a row and none of the professors were saying a word about it.
"What's going on?"
"Maybe the teachers are on strike!"
"What's a strike?"
Hermione sighed, her chin propped up in her hand as she slumped over the Gryffindor table. She was sitting at the far end, with the majority of the House between her and her year mates. She glanced over and caught Ron staring at her. She glared at him and rolled her eyes, turning away. Her gaze fell on the Slytherin table, which was even more sparsely populated than usual. Ginny was there, as was Pansy and Millicent, the three girls chatting amiably, their heads canted down to look at a magazine the blonde girl held. Harry and Draco were nowhere to be seen. Ginny turned and caught Hermione staring at her. The younger witch narrowed her eyes at the Gryffindor, holding her gaze challengingly.
"You really shouldn't get into a staring contest with her." Seamus' voice broke Hermione's concentration.
She turned and looked up at the Irish boy, who was folding his tall frame onto the bench next to her. "Why?"
"She'll win." Seamus poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice and took a long draught.
As he refilled the glass, Hermione caught sight of a bandage peeking out of the bottom of his sleeve. "Seamus, what happened to your arm?"
He jerked, the pumpkin juice splashing over the rim of the cup. He looked down at her arm and flushed, hastily tugging down his sweater. "It's nothing, Hermione." He set down the pitcher with a solid thunk, snatching back his hands and hiding them under the table.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Seamus –,"
The boy turned and leaned in close to her, his eyes wide and deadly serious. "It's. Nothing. Hermione." His jerked his head slightly, indicating the students around them. "Just leave it, alright. I was…helping some people."
The bushy haired girl frowned, blinking down at his arm for a long moment. Then she gasped. "You're –,"
A foot connected with her shin, causing her to yelp. She glared at Seamus, who stared back at her unrepentantly. "It's. Nothing."
Hermione swallowed thickly and nodded, chilled by the look in the other boy's eyes. "Alright." She glanced down at his arm. "But was there no other way?"
Seamus' expression softened slightly. "No, Herm. There was no other way."
"Oh." She straightened and looked down at her plate, her hands twisting together in her lap. "What's going on?" Her voice was quiet, nearly soundless.
Seamus opened and closed his mouth a few times before sighing. He scratched his head, a strange smile coming over his face. "Well, Herm, you see –,"
"Ladies and gentlemen." The Headmaster's voice cut Seamus off and silence fell instantly over the room. Albus stood, resting his hands on the table in front of him, a somber expression on his face. "I know the last few days have been confusing for all of you, and I apologize. Classes will be cancelled until next week, where they will pick up once again, hopefully without anymore interruptions. A great darkness has come over our times, children, and we must be strong. Fifth years and above, I ask that you stay behind after dinner, and that you of the lower years head immediately back to your dorms. All will be explained in due time."
A sea of murmurs swept through the room as Albus sat back down. Hermione looked over to the Slytherin table in time to see Draco and Harry appear. The blond looked much better than how she last saw him; his normal, haughty expression was firmly in place, along with his sneer. Harry, however…He looks like a ghost. Hermione gripped the edge of the table, her eyes going wide. The green-eyed boy was pale and there were large bags under his eyes. His cheekbones stood out prominently, creating deep shadows on his cheeks. Hermione could also see him tremble slightly, and how Draco had to help him keep his balance as he slid into his seat. Harry rolled his eyes at the blond, saying something that made the other boy's mask crack slightly and allow him to laugh. He shooed his Housemates helping hands away and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice, raising an eyebrow at Draco after setting down the pitcher without spilling a drop.
"He's hiding it well," Seamus' voice was soft. Hermione turned and looked at the other Gryffindor, who was also watching Harry carefully. He spared her a pained smile and a shrug. "But he's getting worse. S – we're all worried."
"How bad is it?" Hermione dropped her eyes to her plate, a lump forming in her throat. I thought nothing could be worse than what I saw…she glanced back up at the Slytherin table, watching Harry carefully. But now…
"Bad enough." Seamus' voice was grim as he lowered his gaze to his plate and began fiddling with his eating utensils, glancing up every now and then to look at the pale green-eyed boy once more.
Hermione shut her eyes tightly, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Oh Harry…She shook her head and glanced around the room, watching the other students laugh and chatter amongst each other with ease. She pushed her plate away roughly, her appetite vanishing. Seamus spared her a commiserating smile, and then went back to studying the table in front of him. Hermione brought her hands up and started rubbing at her temples, a massive headache already forming behind her eyes.
qpqp
The fifth, sixth and seventh years shuffled down the long tables, gathering close to the Head Table and their professors.
Albus looked down at the upturned faces, his heart constricting tightly. He pushed the feeling away, clearing his throat as he stood. "Thank you for staying," he smiled down at a pair of Hufflepuffs in front of him. "I have some very grave news." He folded his hands into his sleeves, taking a deep breath and scanning over the crowd of students quickly. "Voldemort is planning to attack Hogwarts in five days' time."
There were gasps and a few shrieks as the students took in the news. Albus held a hand up for silence, which was granted almost immediately. "The Dark Lord's watchers are already surrounding the school. I would have liked to have sent you children away from this terrible event, but your safety, as well as your families' is in dire jeopardy."
"Why?" A terrified looking sixth year Hufflepuff stood and wrapped her arms around her middle tightly. "Why can't we leave?"
"Because they'll pick you off one by one." Pansy's cool voice turned heads. The Slytherins were the only ones taking the news calmly, their aloof masks firmly in place. Even Harry managed to smooth most of the expression from his face as he met the other Houses' stares evenly.
"Says the Death Eater." The ugly mutter came from Gryffindor table.
Albus turned to his golden House and frowned. "Now, children." His glare turned icy and the students shifted nervously under the look. "We must work together in this. Divided we fall, together we shall be victorious. Your Heads of House will be escorting you to your dorms where they will inform the younger children of the danger. We need you to help keep the younger years calm and under control, and with the battle comes, we will need you to lead them to safety, should the Light fail." Albus' expression was grim.
"But why can't the Aurors come and help us?" Ron stood slowly, a determined expression on his face. There were several nods around him.
"The Apparition point for the school is off Hogwarts grounds. The wards that protect the school do not protect that area, and as such, anyone arriving or attempting to leave would be easy to target." Albus shook his head slowly. "I wish there was another way – but aside from dropping the school's wards, there is none."
"But –," Ron chewed on his lower lip, a slight flush spreading across his face. "What about our families?"
Albus nodded and bowed his head briefly. "Your families would be in more danger trying to take you from the school than by leaving you here. Children," He raised his hands, his blue eyes weary. "I am sorry, but this is the price of war. To keep the peace of the wizarding world, the attack on the school must be kept secret, otherwise panic will sweep through our society, allowing for Voldemort to gain an even stronger foothold. I am trusting you," Albus leaned forward, taking in the rapt expressions of the children, "to help us through this crisis. I need you to do all that you can to help us in this dark time. Keep vigilant, be aware. Keep your wand on you at all times, do not wander off alone. Keep an eye out for your fellow students and most of all do not leave the castle grounds."
The children stared up at him with wide, large eyes. Nods swept through the group in front of him, murmurings of acceptance and understanding passing from one table to the next. Only the Slytherins remained impassive, their eyes shuttered and cold, their voices silent.
Albus looked at Harry, who met his gaze evenly. The green eyes were pained and the shadows were darker than usual. Oh my boy, Albus dropped the boy's gaze and looked back towards the Gryffindor table. I wish things could have been different.
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"Ron!"
The youngest Weasley turned and smiled grimly at Michael. "Hey," the Gryffindor's expression was grim. He waited for the Ravenclaw to catch up to him, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets.
"Hey," Michael sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He eyed Ron carefully, I must be careful with this… "Can you believe it?" He let his hands fall to his sides, twisting them into his robes nervously.
"Yeah, I can." Ron's eyes glittered dangerously. "What I can't believe is that Dumbledore is allowing Potter to stay here. Doesn't he know that Potter's going to let Him in? I mean – they're connected! The scar's going to allow You-Know-Who right through the wards and Potter won't have to raise a finger to help him!"
Michael could barely hide his glee. "Yeah," he sighed again and shrugged, looking down at his shoes. "That's exactly what I was thinking." Congratulations, Ronald Weasley. When I give my report to the Dark Lord I will be sure to mention how helpful you were in assisting me.
"Really?" Ron's mouth quirked up into a half-smile and he shrugged. "That's not something I hear everyday." The smile turned genuine. "Just wait till the twins find out!"
The Ravenclaw ducked his head to hide his smile, but allowed himself to laugh softly. He quickly got a hold of himself and plastered on a somber expression when he looked back up at the other boy. "There should be something we can do to stop Him, though, you know? I mean…it's stupid to keep Potter here when the two of them are connected…" He chewed on his lip and let his sentence trail off, watching Ron through his bangs as the redhead considered what he said.
"Yeah." Ron nodded slowly, a frown forming on his face. "You're right. I mean, what's Dumbledore thinking? He has to get Potter out of here – away from all of us! Then You-Know-Who won't attack here and we'll all be safe." He balled up one hand and smacked it into the palm of his other hand, the crack loud in the deserted hallway.
"Exactly." Michael schooled his expression into one of utmost sincerity as he took a step closer to the redhead. "There has to be a way of getting Potter out of the school before You-Know-Who attacks. If Dumbledore doesn't do it…"
"Then we should." Ron suddenly straightened, a gleam coming to his eyes. "If Dumbledore isn't going to protect us, then we need to protect ourselves!"
"Exactly." Michael's eyes glittered. He motioned Ron closer, drawing the redhead into a small alcove. "Remember a while back, you and I had a certain conversation…"
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"The Order members are arriving." Minerva's normally kept appearance was disheveled. Her hair was slowly unraveling from its usual bun, the flyaway strands creating a halo around her head.
Albus looked up from the stack of reports he was reviewing. "Good." He rubbed a hand across the lower half of his face tiredly. "And the Weasleys?"
"They will come." Disapproval was apparent in Minerva's tone. "I still don't see why you want them here considering…"
"They are opposed to Voldemort, Minerva, and we need all the help we can get – even from them." The Headmaster's eyes rarely twinkled now. He stared up at his Deputy Headmistress. "Inform me when they arrive."
"Yes, Albus." Minerva inclined her head briefly before taking her leave.
While access to Hogwarts was limited, Albus had decided to keep the floo system open for one last day. The only access to the Hogwart's floo was via the Order Headquarters, and all those who had access to that system. They had four days to go until the Dark Lord launched his attack and Albus wanted his pieces in place well before the day of battle. Opening Hogwarts to the Weasleys had been a difficult decision, one that Albus hoped he would not regret.
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"Oufff!" Arthur Weasley tumbled out of the fireplace, wincing in pain. His wife arrived moments later, her landing somewhat more dignified.
"Arthur?" Molly patted at her hair, swatting absently at the soot that covered her robes as she looked around dazedly.
"Here dearest." Arthur helped his wife to his feet, helping her to brush off the last of the ash. They turned to the fireplace and waited for Percy to arrive. He bounced out of the floo system moments later, his face flushing a dark red in embarrassment at his graceless landing. He scrambled to his feet, wrenching his robes straight as he stood, shrugging off his parent's attempts at helping him. He glanced past his parents and jerked, bringing the older Weasley's attention to the other people in the room.
Alastor Moody glared at the young Mr. Weasley, a nastier than usual scowl etched deeply onto his face. Lucius, however, was smiling at them, although it did not meet his eyes – and both wizards had their wands out and pointed at the new arrivals.
"What is the meaning of this?" Arthur frowned at Alastor, moving in front of his wife protectively. Percy placed a hand on his mother's shoulder, squeezing tightly.
"State your names, hand over your wands and roll up your sleeves." Moody's hand tightened on his wand as he stared at Arthur, his magical eye rolling madly in its socket. Lucius remained leaning against the wall near the door, but his grip on his wand was steady and sure, his gaze flicking from Moody to Arthur carefully.
"Alastor! You know me! It's Arthur Weasley…" The Weasley patriarch smiled nervously at Moody, holding his hands out and taking a step towards the cranky auror.
"I would advise you to do as he says," Lucius' smile turned vicious, halting Arthur mid-step. "It would be a shame to have to put you under Veritaserum." He pushed away from the wall and strolled up to the redhead, looking down his nose at them. "Now, your wands, if you please."
The Weasley's paled, but quickly surrendered their wands and rolled up their sleeves. Alastor tested their skin and wands for charms while Lucius looked them over for any sign of Imperio. "They're clean." Moody shoved the wands back into their hands and wiped his hands on his robes, still eyeing the new arrivals darkly.
"Unfortunately I concur." Lucius sneered at Arthur, who glared back at the blond.
"Now see here, Malfoy…" Arthur's hands were balled into fists at his side.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy," Albus appeared in the doorway, silencing Arthur before he could begin. "I'm glad you have arrived." The Headmaster's tone was pleasant, but chilly. Lucius smirked at the other wizard, but stepped back, shooting a dark look at Albus as he did so.
"I'm glad you changed your mind, sir." Arthur smiled at the old wizard, instantly dismissing Lucius' presence and focusing on the Headmaster. "It's good to be back."
Albus inclined his head slightly, but did not return the other wizard's smile. "As you know time is short, so I will be brief. Contact with the students is being severely limited. They have until sunset to be out of their dorms, but no later. If you wish to see Ron or the twins you will have to go through Minerva – she will deliver your message. This is as much for the Order member's safety as the children," he held up a hand when Molly looked as though she was about to argue. "Please. It is best for all parties this way."
Molly and Arthur exchanged a look, but finally nodded. Percy, however, jutted his chin out stubbornly.
"What about the Potter boy?" Percy pushed his way past his mother to stand in front of the Headmaster, a stubborn light in his eye. Arthur grabbed his son's arm and hissed at him, but the younger wizard ignored him.
Albus raised one eyebrow, his mouth flattening down into a line as he looked the young redhead up and down. "What of him, Mr. Weasley?" He made no effort to hide his dislike of the younger man.
Percy shook off his father's arm and took a step forward, swallowing thickly. "He should be put of the school immediately, you know that. He's a danger to everyone here…"
"Silence, please, Mr. Weasley." Albus' eyes were icy and Percy involuntarily took a step back from the angry glint in the older man's eyes. "Mr. Potter is not a danger to anyone in this castle, I can assure you of that."
"But –," Percy shook his head sharply.
"Headmaster are you…" Bill froze in the doorway to the room, his eyes slipping past Albus and landing on the Weasley's. "In here." Bill blinked several times, his mouth thinning down into a harsh line before turning to the Headmaster. "Sir, the warding of the dungeons is complete. Professor McGonagall has asked me to help with the final sweep through the Gryffindor Tower."
"Ah, yes. Thank you for informing me." Albus offered the younger wizard a lemon sherbert, which Bill declined. As he turned to go, Molly spoke up.
"Don't you have anything to say to us?" Her eyes were bright and glassy. Arthur wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her tightly for a moment.
Bill's shoulders tensed and he turned his head slightly to speak over his shoulder. "No, I don't." He turned back towards the door, catching Lucius' eye briefly. The head of the Malfoy line winked at him, making Bill smile sadly. He started out the door.
"How dare you!" Percy tried to push past his father, but Arthur held him tight, letting go of Molly in the process. The Weasley patriarch said nothing as his former son left the room without looking back.
Albus' expression was grave as he regarded them. "There are a number of Order members who are not at all pleased with your view of Mr. Potter and Slytherin House. I ask you to put aside your differences for this greater purpose – no matter what you believe, Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts and we all must be prepared for it, no matter what." His gaze swept over them once more before he turned and left the room, leaving the family with Alastor and Lucius once more.
"I'll be off then," Lucius bared his teeth at Arthur in a parody of a smile. "Ta, Arthur." He strolled from the room, pausing briefly by the door. "Oh, and Arthur," he turned and smiled at the redhead, "I'm so glad to see the Black family expanding so. Their youngest, Ginny Black, I do believe you know her? Yes, well," the smile was thin and sharp, "she is doing extraordinarily well. Better than all your pathetic little spawn put together I suppose." The blond winked at them. "Just thought you ought to know." And he was gone.
"The nerve!" Molly's hands were twisted tightly into her robes, a furious expression on her face. Percy laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, nodding in agreement.
They never saw the gleam of tears in Arthur's eyes.
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"Ah Ginny!" Remus smiled widely at the girl, hopping down off the small ladder he had conjured. The Headmaster had sent him yet another pile of books for him to look over, and there simply wasn't enough room in the small library their suite offered. So the werewolf had been putting up shelves for entirety of the morning and had only just finished placing the books in the shelves in an order he could remember.
"Hi Remus." Pansy poked her head in the door and smiled brightly at the werewolf.
Remus nearly tripped over the couch. "Ah…Hello Ms. Parkinson."
"Ow!" Pansy's head disappeared from the doorway briefly, reappearing moments later. "Millie says hi too."
Remus' expression was a study. "Hello Ms. Bulstrode."
Ginny hid her smile behind her hand, waving at the girls as they left, their arms linked and their heads bent together, giggling quietly. She turned back to the werewolf, her eyes shining. "I got a note from you and Sirius?"
Remus' easy grin faded a bit. "Ah, yes." He motioned her inside and sat on the couch, patting the cushion next to him invitingly. "There's something I think you should be aware of…"
The door banged open and an irate Bill and Sirius stormed into the suite. Remus was on his feet in an instant, moving in front of Ginny, shielding her from view. He relaxed as it appeared that the two wizards were alone.
"I – I – I –," Bill stalked over to the fireplace and placed his hands on the mantle, his knuckles turning white with strain.
"What's wrong? What's happened?" Ginny's voice stopped Sirius mid-motion. The animagus was headed for a cabinet, fury nearly radiating off of his body. He checked his motion and swung around, quickly finding Ginny on the couch.
He glanced at Remus. "You haven't told her yet?"
Remus shook his head, shrugging slightly. "The two of you interrupted before I could."
"Ah." Sirius opened and closed his mouth a few times before turning back to the cabinet and pulling out two glasses. He poured a hefty dollop for both himself and Bill, handing the younger wizard his glass silently as he made his way to the couches. He sat himself down in the loveseat, tossing back the amber liquid with ease, wincing slightly as the alcohol burned its way down his throat.
"Sirius?" Ginny scooted to the edge of her seat, her cane clasped tightly in her hands.
The animagus opened his eyes and stared at Ginny silently for a moment. Then he sighed. "The Weasleys are here." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, rolling the crystal between his palms slowly, not looking up at the young witch in front of him. "They arrived earlier today and will be staying until the battle. How long they'll be here after that –," Sirius let out a long breath, "Well that depends on how everything goes."
Ginny's knuckles turned white and she closed her eyes briefly, breathing heavily through her nose. I will not panic…I will not try and kill them while they are here…I will not panic… "How –," she shook her head and bit her lower lip, ducking her head and letting her hair fall around her face.
"How what?" Remus sat next to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
She shrugged and studied her Jaredth carefully. "Never mind."
"No, Ginny," Remus rubbed her back in soothing circles. "What?"
"I –," she chewed on the inside of her lip vigorously, glancing up at Sirius through her lashes. "I just…wanted to know…how they – how they…looked."
"Ah." There was sudden understanding in the werewolf's eyes. "I see."
"Yeah." Ginny cleared a suddenly tight throat and lowered her gaze back down to her cane.
"I don't. What do you mean?" Sirius frowned at the pair on the couch, his fingers loosely holding the crystal snifter.
Remus shook his head sharply and stood, pulling Ginny up with him. "Never you mind, Sirius Black." He looked down at Ginny and tapped her chin gently. "How would you and Bill like to eat here with us tonight?"
Ginny's eyes lit up. "Oh yes!" She turned to Bill, who had finally let go of his death grip with the mantle. His tired eyes met his sister's and he nodded. She turned back to Sirius, her eyes wide and pleading.
The animagus rolled his eyes and threw his hands up into the air – forgetting that he'd had a glass in his grip. The crystal went flying and would have shattered had Bill not caught the glass reflexively. "I'm taking that as a sign. Time for food."
"How's a flying glass a sign?" Ginny stage whispered to Remus, who chuckled.
"I haven't the faintest idea – although I'm sure it makes perfect sense to him." Sirius merely glared at them, but was given away by the smile hovering at the edge of his mouth.
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"Is that all?" Minerva sat on a couch, her shoulders slumped just a bit and her eyes tired.
"Just about." Arthur sat to her right, staring down at his hands blindly.
"How many Order members have yet to come?" The Gryffindor Head of House rubbed at her temple, the fierce ache behind her eyes not going away.
"Ten." Arthur's grip on his wand tightened. "There are at least five that we think have gone…missing."
Minerva's face crumpled for a moment, inhaling with a hiss. She turned her head and clenched her hands in the cushions next to her. There was silence – and then…
"Charlie's still out there too."
"Yes." Arthur licked dry and chapped lips, his breath coming in short stutters. "He – we haven't had any communication with him since the winter holidays." The fine grain of wood in his wand was dinged in several places, mementos of too many battles he and his family had fought in his lifetime. "I – I don't know if he's alright…"
"I'm sure he is, Arthur." Minerva's face, while pale, was perfectly composed. "After all, he is a trained, adult wizard. I'm sure he could," she turned bright eyes to the head of the Weasley family, "easily take on a mob of people and live to tell the tale."
Arthur blanched and turned his head away, his shoulders drooping. "Minerva…"
"Arthur Weasley what were you thinking!" Her face twisted and she shook her head slightly. "He's just a boy, Arthur! A courageous, hardheaded, hurting boy! How could your family do this to him! And Ginny! Arthur, what's gotten into you?"
Arthur kept his head turned from her, staring at the far wall blankly. "I don't know how to explain it to you Minerva. I really don't." He finally looked at her and his eyes were red rimmed. "I regret what was done and I would take it back if I could – but Molly and the boys…" Arthur shook his head vaguely, lowering his gaze back to his wand. "They see only the evil that has been done…"
"What evil?" Minerva slapped a hand down on the cushion beside her, creating a small cloud of dust. "What evil? Explain to me in detail just what evil Harry or Ginny ever did to you and the rest of your family!"
"How many times have my children nearly died because of him!" The end of Arthur's leash had been reached. He abruptly stood and began to pace in front of the fire. "How many times has Ron and Ginny – and even the twins – taken blows meant for Harry? How many times have my children risked their own lives to help him – and when has he ever thanked us? Apologized for what had happened? Never.""That's not true." Minerva also rose, her hands clasped tightly at her waist. "You know that's not true."
"Are you calling me a liar, Minerva?" Arthur stopped pacing and turned to face her.
"No," the deputy Headmistress sighed and shook her head. "I think you are confused."
"I am not –," Arthur took a step forward, only to be stopped by the sound of the floo opening once more. "I thought that was it!" He moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with Minerva, his wand held at the ready.
"I did too." The roaring of the floo system grew louder until both the adults were wincing in pain. The racket reached its crescendo with the fireplace spitting out its final traveler, before dying out completely.
"State your name, hand over your wand and…" Minerva could feel her eyes becoming wide.
Arthur took a step forward, a disbelieving smile spreading across his face. "Charlie?"
The redhead shook his head and clambered to his feet slowly. He glanced at the hand his father held out and then turned to McGonagall. "I need to talk to Bill and Ginny, please."
End Chapter 39A/N: Thank all for your kind reviews. They mean so much to me!! Thanks a million )