CHAPTER 4 - EMPTY NIGHTS

Harry spent most of his day enjoying himself for a change. He laughed and had an overall good day. Fred and George were, of course, the life of the party, playing pranks and telling jokes. Nobody seemed to want to discuss everything that had been happening which was perfectly fine for Harry, who didn't want to talk about it anyway. The night wore on and people started to leave. Bill and Fleur departed for their honeymoon to someplace that Harry really hadn't bothered to ask, and slowly the house quieted as people went to bed.

He couldn't tell if it was late into the night or early in the morning when Harry found himself alone in the kitchen contemplating on what a normal, enjoyable day he just had. He decided to speak to Ron and Hermione tomorrow about what has happened and what he was going to do. As he sat reflecting on the whole situation he became quite aware of another person who had appeared.

Remus Lupin was his father's oldest living friend and Harry had been happy to see him again. He always provided sage advice and a comforting shoulder when it was needed.

"You know," Remus spoke when he was sure Harry noticed him, "James used to sit up all night thinking too. I guess sleep is something that the Potter men feel is not important."

Harry smiled and motioned for Lupin to take a seat next to him. Lupin declined his offer electing, instead, to lean against the post in the middle of the kitchen.
"Well, sometimes sleep doesn't want to find you as much as you want to find it," Harry replied.

"Yes, and sometimes we fear sleep, especially in difficult times such as these."

"Is that why you're up?" Harry asked. He always felt he could be frank with Lupin without offending him. It was an endearing quality that Harry had missed since Sirius had died.

"No unfortunately, Harry, with my condition it keeps me from developing a normal sleep schedule. I often find myself sleeping at odd hours." Harry nodded understanding that there were probably plenty of things about being a werewolf that he could never fathom.

"Professor, when I was telling you what happened this afternoon you looked disappointed. Why?"

"I'll tell you the first thing I was, was concerned. You've looked better Harry. You've gotten into some tough battles, haven't eaten nearly enough (which I'm sure you've heard plenty of from Molly), and you, obviously, haven't been getting enough sleep. But I was disappointed because apparently, you are not as smart as I thought you were."

Harry was taken aback by the casual way his friend had insulted him. "I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean," Harry replied irritably.

"You also seem to be as arrogant as Snape has suggested all these years."

If Harry was irritated before he was plain shocked now. How could his friend say these things about him? Ron and Hermione may have questioned his decisions before but not with this same kind of audacity.

"Harry, you have to be stupid and arrogant to believe that you can take out the most powerful dark wizard of all time and his followers by yourself. Why didn't you let your friends come with you?"

"I didn't want them to get hurt. I knew that Voldemort would use them to get to me and I couldn't let that happen to them." Harry was almost sick of explaining this to people.

"Of course you feel that way, you wouldn't be a Potter if you thought otherwise. But, Harry, don't you think they are just in danger here? Or at school? They are in danger everywhere, whether they're with you or not. You've done some great things but you yourself said that you had loads of help. Why turn your back on that help now, especially with the things that have happened?"

Harry had assumed he was referring to Dumbledore but there was something else there. "Has something happened recently?" Harry asked.

Lupin seemed to look at him in disbelief. "You didn't hear about Hogwart's?"

"No, I haven't heard much of anything that's happened. I've been hiding out. Its not exactly like Harry Potter can grab a Daily Prophet without drawing attention."

"Harry, Death Eaters broke into Hogwart's!"

He couldn't believe it. Hogwart's had always been Harry's safe haven. Of course he got into danger while he was there, but he never felt like anyone could ever get in to hurt him. "What happened?" Harry asked, desperate to find out the facts.

"Most everyone was away actually, with it being summer and all. Hagrid was off on a mission and the students and most of the teachers were gone."

"Wait," Harry said, very aware of the words Lupin chose, "most of the teachers were gone?"

"Yes, they abducted Professor Trelawney but for what reason nobody rea-"

"NO!" Harry was suddenly horrified. Trelawney was the only one other than himself, Ron, and Hermione who knew about the prophecy. Even though she didn't remember giving it, a wizard like Voldemort could pull it out of her. Then suddenly things started falling in place for Harry. That was the reason MacNair had been so afraid of him. That was the reason the Death Eaters he saw were so scared. And that's probably the reason they weren't actively searching for him.

Lupin was astonished and confused by Harry's reaction. "Harry, I didn't think you were that close to Sybill."

"I wasn't, it's because of…" Harry stopped. In his shock he said too much and Lupin was very aware of the fact.

"Because of what, Harry?" There's really no point in hiding it now Harry thought. If Voldemort and his Death Eaters knew, then it was about time that the people who were fighting for him knew. "Because of the prophecy," Harry said.

"The one that was smashed at the Ministry? I thought that no one knew what it said?"

"Dumbledore knew. That's why he hired Trelawney, because 17 years ago she told him that I would have to kill Voldemort." He continued to recount the situation to Lupin who, if he was shocked, hid his emotions well. There was quite a long moment of silence before Lupin spoke.

"You know we, the Order that is, had guessed most of that but to hear all of it. So this power that you have…"

"It's the ability to love. I have it and Voldemort doesn't. That's why he couldn't possess me. He couldn't be in the same body as someone who loved."

"You knew this and still went out on your own. Harry, how can you not realize what this means? I know you want to save your friends but they want nothing more than to help you. Do you realize that with them by your side that you would be stronger to face him? Why do you think Dumbledore told you to trust in them so much? Harry you can not leave this house again without them."

Harry had never really thought about it in that way before. But he couldn't do it. They were much safer than here than they were with them. He cared too much to have them helping him. Then something clicked for him. Suddenly Dumbledore's voice was in his head…

"you see Harry… I cared too much… What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people were slaughtered in the vague future if here and now you were alive and happy… an old man's mistake… exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act."

Harry was about to make the same mistake that Dumbledore had. Didn't he say that was the reason Sirius died? What if Voldemort knew that he would never take his friends into danger? Wouldn't that make it more dangerous for them? But could he really risk it? Could he take them away from the protection of the Order? No, no he couldn't. They would be safer here with everyone around.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. They are safer here with the Order protecting them."
Lupin seemed furious. The only other time Harry had seen him angry was in third year when he was in the halls at night. This seemed like much more.

"What do you think we'll be able to do? Do you think it really matters who's in the Order when Voldemort comes here? No one will survive if he shows up at the doorstep!" Lupin was on the verge of yelling and Harry could tell that this was something that he had battled with in his head. Regaining his composure, Lupin continued. "Harry, no one is safe while Voldemort is around. He's been my nightmare for 20 years. I wake now dreadful that those red eyes are going to be staring back at me from the dark. He took almost everything I had the last time and I think he's more powerful now than he was then. And with Dumbledore gone he's going to move this war out into the open. There's going to be death and destruction on every street in this country."

Just then Mrs. Weasley came downstairs disrupting the tense situation in the kitchen. "What are you two doing down here?" she asked in a forceful but quiet voice. "You're waking up the whole house with this racket and I'm not sure its something that everyone needs to hear!"

"We were just talking Molly," Lupin replied, still staring hard at Harry.

"Well stop it," Mrs. Weasley snapped. "Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"Yes," Harry replied, thankful for the interruption. He stared directly at Lupin signaling that the discussion was indeed over. "We're through here Mrs. Weasley. I'm going up to bed," Harry said as he stood up from the table.

"Harry, we're going to have an Order meeting tomorrow and you're going to tell all of them what you told me tonight," Lupin said. Harry was now irritated that he was going to have to go through this again, but with many more people to throw accusations at him.

"Fine," he said quickly, "but you're going to answer their questions because I'm finished doing it." And with that he stormed up the stairs to fall into a sleep he knew would not come. As most other nights, Harry was not alone in his dreams. Dumbledore, as he always does, did not let him rest peacefully.
"the most powerful and the most dangerous thing in all the world… Love…that's what makes you different from him…"