Disclaimer- all the characters you recognize are Miss Rowling's. (Who else could invent such beautiful and lively characters?)
CLOSE TO MY HEART
CHAPTER 4
SERVICE BEFORE SELF
The brilliant hue of the morning sky lit up the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. Harry, Ron and Hermione were the first to come for breakfast. As they sat in their usual places on the Gryffindor table, the breakfast immediately appeared in front of them. Hungrily, they started piling food on their plates.
"Nice food. These house-elves always do a great job," said Harry through mouthfuls of food.
On hearing this, Hermione frowned and said, "Harry, don't be ridiculous. They don't get paid for it. And anyway, you should be thankful to them."
Harry smirked but was amazed to see Ron keeping so quiet. Normally he used to be the first person to start a fight with Hermione. But this time he didn't. Harry wondered why.
Turning to Ron he said, "Ron, you look so quiet. Is everything all right?"
"Yeah…Yeah of course. I'm fine," Ron stammered.
At this Hermione looked into her plate with her face red and started eating feverishly.
"Hermione", Harry addressed her, "both of you can tell me."
It was Ron who spoke. "Well, Harry; it's about Hermione and me. Actually-"
But he was cut off by Harry, who thumped him on the back and said, "Wow Ron, Hermione, so finally both of you have confessed your feelings to each other. It was so obvious since fourth year. Congratulations. This is fantabulous."
Both of them looked at each other with an amazed expression on their faces.
"Harry, but how do you know about it?" Hermione asked.
"What! Have you already forgotten those Occlumency classes with Snape?" he replied with an expression of mock tragedy.
But Ron did not hear any of this. He was looking straight at Hermione.
"Hermione, I had no clue, you've liked me since fourth year," Ron said.
Hermione blushed crimson and said, "I was waiting for you to make the first move."
With this both of them embraced each other and Hermione gave him a peck on the cheek. As they drew away, the Great Hall was filling with students. The staff table too was filled. Hagrid smiled at them and gave them a 'thumbs up' sign. In return they smiled up at him.
Their thoughts were interrupted by a great brown owl that swooped down at Harry and nearly bit off his ear.
"Hey!" Harry shouted at it and ducked his head.
It was Ron who came to his senses first. He untied the piece of parchment that was attached to the owl's leg. The envelope bore the symbol of a phoenix. As soon as Harry saw the envelope, he looked up at the staff table. Dumbledore and McGonagall were deep in conversation, and as a result they did not see him. Diggle and Hagrid too were talking. His eyes wandered to Snape, who was looking straight at him, making eye contact. Harry stared at him, and could make out that he did not want Harry to open the envelope there. Snape silently instructed him to go to his dormitory and open the packet. Harry tore his eyes away from Snape and tugged at his friends' arms.
"Let's go to our common room. This packet is important." In hushed tones he added, "The Order". Ron and Hermione immediately understood and followed Harry to the Gryffindor common room.
To their relief, the common room was empty, as everybody had gone for breakfast. The trio took their seats by the fireplace. Ron, who had the envelope with him, tore open the seal and took out, a piece of parchment on which was the neat curly handwriting that they knew too well. It read-
Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger,
An emergency has taken place and I need the three of you to help out the other Order members. Please come to my office today after your extra class for Transfiguration ends. All the Order members will be there. Password is 'Pumpkin Juice'.
Yours Truly,
Albus Dumbledore
"What kind of emergency can it be?" Ron mused out aloud.
"We'll find out today evening." Hermione answered him. But actually, she too was worried, because Dumbledore had never called them like that. It had to be something very serious.
After finishing their Transfiguration class, in which McGonagall for the first time had a faraway look in her eyes, they made their way to Dumbledore's office. As soon as they faced the stone gargoyle, and gave the password, it sprang open.
They entered Dumbledore's office, which was so familiar to them now, especially to Harry. Fawkes was sitting in its usual place. The phoenix's brilliant plumage took Hermione's heart away.
"Lo Fawkes", she addressed it quietly.
"So you all are here. Make yourselves comfortable." Dumbledore had arrived so suddenly, it looked as if he had apparated. He conjured several chairs and arranged them in a semicircle.
"The others will arrive soon."
With this he pulled out a Chocolate Frog card bearing his photograph, tapped it and said clearly, "The students are here. The meeting will begin soon. Please come fast."
Harry, Ron and Hermione were amazed to see this. Seeing their faces Dumbledore said, "This is how the Order members communicate. See? It's perfectly safe and handy." The trio smiled at him.
"Oh! I almost forgot-" He pulled out three similar Chocolate Frog cards and gave it to them. Seeing their questioning glances he said, "I'll explain when everyone is here."
Almost immediately, the flames in Dumbledore's fireplace started turning green and people started piling out. Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge,
Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones, Remus Lupin and Rubeus Hagrid, all came out of the fireplace, covered in soot. Dumbledore waved his wand and the soot vanished. They all sat down.
In a minute after this, the stone gargoyle opened and in came Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Dedalus Diggle. McGonagall came in first, followed by Diggle and Snape, very close together, deep in conversation.
Harry looked at them, and instantly his ears were filled with a piercing scream that he knew belonged to his mother. He shut his eyes, hoping that the sound would end. There was silence.
It was Dumbledore's voice that broke the intensely noisy silence.
"All the members of the Order!" he addressed. "There is some really troubling news that I want to share with you. My friend Nicolas Flamel's wife Paranelle is no more."
This gave way to a lot of murmuring. Harry, Ron and Hermione were shocked on hearing the news. Although they had never known the Flamels personally, the Philosopher's Stone had built an unbreakable connection between them. They somehow felt intimate.
Hermione spoke up, "But professor, didn't she have the Elixir of life left within her?"
"An excellent question, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore. "You have put your finger on the point. Although the effect of the Elixir was fading, she still had enough to last her for another year. But she is dead. And that makes us think that foul play is involved."
"Albus, when did this happen? Where?" McGonagall asked in a hushed tone.
"It all happened yesterday night, in-" he looked straight at Harry, took a deep breath and continued, "in the Department of Mysteries. She fell through the veil."
Harry could not bear it any longer. He wanted to run away from there, to cry, to…to go to Sirius.
He got up very suddenly and said, "Excuse me. I've got to go." With this he stated moving towards the door.
But Dumbledore stopped him. "No Harry. You have to listen to this. You know why. You are the chosen one."
These words of Dumbledore made Harry stop in his tracks.
"Come and sit here. Harry, I know this is difficult for you, but sometimes service comes before self."
Harry looked into Dumbledore's eyes and immediately knew what he meant. He obeyed him and sat down on his seat.
"This meeting," continued Dumbledore, "has been called to investigate Paranelle's death. It is certain that Voldemort is behind all this. Yet, there is an ounce of doubt about what his motive is. The Philosopher's Stone has been destroyed, and Nicolas is not making another one. So probably-"
Dumbledore was interrupted once again. The flames in his fireplace started turning green and in came a man whom they had never seen. He came out and hugged Dumbledore. Hagrid slapped him playfully on the back and said, "Ah Aberforth. Good ter see you."
It was Dumbledore who introduced his brother to everyone assembled over there. He conjured a chair for him and motioned him to sit down.
"So," he continued once again, "we were discussing the motive. Aberforth, I told you about the happenings. So probably Voldemort just wants to spread fear and ultimately aim at killing Harry."
At this, Harry saw fifteen heads looking straight at him.
But Dumbledore again caught their attention.
"Harry, Ron, Hermione, I would like to entrust this mission to the three of you. Your Christmas break is beginning from tomorrow. And Miss Granger if you'd kindly stay at Hogwarts for the break, Ron I've already spoken to your parents. You can depart for the Ministry of Magic tomorrow morning, and no one should where you are going or why you are going, and that is why this time all the students have gone home for the break. You will not use the Floo Network under any circumstances. You will depart by apparating from here. Any questions?"
Hermione raised her hand and asked, "But Professor, how do we apparate in Hogwarts?"
"Aha!" Dumbledore smiled. "At least some of you have read Hogwarts, A History. But anyway, I was coming to that point. You will not apparate from the Hogwarts grounds, but from the Hogwarts Graveyard."
"Sir?" Ron spoke up suddenly and very loudly. "Well, I didn't know that there is a graveyard at Hogwarts." He said sheepishly.
"Yes. There is a graveyard at Hogwarts. It lies on the other side of the Forbidden Forest." Dumbledore cleared his doubt.
"Professor, what exactly is our mission?" Harry asked.
"Your mission is to find out why Paranelle went there, and what exactly killed her. She could not have fallen through the veil on her own. You have to report to me the happenings that took place in the department of Mysteries. Mr. Arthur Weasley will help you if you need any help, as will the other members of the Order. But you will not seek the help of a person you do not know, or who is not a member of the Order. You will also visit the Minister of Magic, Felix Felicis and talk to him but he should not know that you are there to investigate Paranelle's death. Your cover-up would be that you want to see how the Ministry functions. In case of an emergency, you will immediately apparate back to Hogwarts. You can of course, communicate with me through the Chocolate Frog cards. I presume Ron has a whole big collection. Clear?" Dumbledore briefed them.
The next morning, they got up early and came to the common room. Hermione conjured some sandwiches for each one of them and they ate hurriedly. After this they rushed straight to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where Hagrid was waiting for them with Fang. Fang wagged his tail on seeing them. Harry rubbed his neck and Ron tickled him behind the ears.
"Come", he told the trio. "The centaurs have cooled down and Grawp now speaks perfect English. He has become highly controllable."
With this they hurried into the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid led them through the forest, using an overgrown path, and within no time they were in a large graveyard. It had the graves of all the Hogwarts headmasters. And there was one more grave, which bore the sign:
Harry Potter / Tom Marvolo Riddle
Hermione shuddered on seeing the grave. Ron comforted her by putting his arm around her shoulder. She looked into his eyes and smiled gratefully at him.
Hagrid interrupted their feelings and said, "Off ye apparate now."
And with a pop sound they just vanished into thin air.
They found themselves in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. The wizard at the table took their names and gave them the passes.
Next, they went to the office of the Minister of Magic. It was carved in gold with the sign:
Felix Felicis
Minister of Magic
They knocked on the door, and on hearing a high girlish voice that said, "Come in", they went inside.
On the large desk sat an intensely large man wearing bright yellow silk robes. His office was plastered with his smiling photographs, all having the sign 'Victory'. In most of the photographs, he was standing next to banshees, vampires, werewolves and every other kind of dark creature, which looked fake. Ron stifled a laugh on seeing the ornately decorated room, but shut up when Hermione punched him on the ribs.
"Ow! That hurts!" He whispered in her ear.
"So," said Felix Felicis on seeing them, "good to see you here in one piece in these dangerous times." He gave a nervous giggle and continued, "Well, I thought you might want to have a cup of tea with me. See I'm a very busy person; sorry I can't have lunch with you, but yes, tea. I'll just get it."
He again laughed his odd laugh and got up to go out of the room.
But Hermione said soothingly, "Sir, please sit I'll just conjure it."
"Oh…oh yeah. Charms. Dear old Professor Flitwick." He said distractedly.
With this he gave a very complicated swish to his wand and out of nowhere appeared a tray with cups, and a pot of boiling tea, all of which dropped to the floor with a loud crash.
"Um…I'm sorry. I'd…I'd better get some from outside." He said, pointing towards the door and getting up in a hurry. While getting up his massive body shook the entire table and several files crashed to the floor. Muttering an apology, he quickly exited the room.
"Sissy weirdo!" Ron said under his breath as Felicis left the room.
"Yeah, completely off his rocker." Harry agreed with him.
Hermione smiled wanly at their comments.
They had tea, which was completely a bore because the only topic of discussion was 'Felix Felicis and his bravery' in which he boasted to have killed Golgomath, one of the biggest and most powerful giants.
"Boasting fool," said Hermione as they left the room. "I was going through a few books and came across the record of marks obtained by all the students of Hogwarts. Our dear Minister got three O.W.L.s and two N.E.W.T.s. Idiot." She muttered.
Ron thumped her on the back and said, "You'll never cease to surprise me."
Seeing that Harry had already out of view, probably somewhere near the elevator and that he and Hermione were alone in the corridor, he pulled her closer to him and said, "Seriously Hermione, you'll never cease to surprise me."
She looked into his eyes and their lips met, lightly at first, but then more passionate, more demanding.
Suddenly, they were interrupted by Harry's voice that said, "Come on, we've to go."
Smiling at each other, and still holding the other very closely, they proceeded towards the elevator.
"I guess", started Harry, "We should start for the Department of Mysteries. I wonder why Dumbledore sent us to meet that moron."
"Yeah", Hermione backed him, "We're already very late."
Together they went to the Department of Mysteries, and into that corridor which they knew only too well. Hermione used the 'Flagrate' charm once again in order to guide them.
As soon as the required door opened, they felt a bit nervous about going inside.
Harry cautioned them and said, "This can be dangerous."
They all nodded their heads and took out their wands.
They passed the familiar doors, and eventually came across the one which had melted Sirius's knife. But this time as soon as Harry touched the handle, it automatically unlocked and they entered a room in the middle of which was placed a cauldron filled with a boiling liquid, which emitted sparks. The walls were lined with shelves which were holding all sorts of odd instruments. Hermione walked to the nearest shelf and picked up a very fragile glass instrument having a thin thread on its neck.
In it was a small piece of paper that read:
I am like a thin thread,
I give you your life and bread,
I break when you pull me too much,
But I am the strongest thing as such.
I exist in every heart,
From me, it is difficult to part,
I am…Love.
"It's love," she said quietly. "Ron, Harry!" She called them. "I don't think we should remain here any more. Harry, this room is meant for you. It houses the most beautiful and the most terrible secrets of all time. It houses the secrets of love. Harry, the love in your mother's eyes, she sacrificed herself to save you. I think we should leave. This is something top secret. If Voldemort or any of the death eaters come to know about this room, they will have a very powerful weapon in their hands." Then without saying anything, she grabbed the boys by their hands and pulled them out of the room.
Suddenly, as soon as they stepped out of the room, Harry was hit by an inter-office memo, which said:
"The Dark Lord has his eyes on you. You will meet him where you least expect to. Go to Spinner's End if you want to save Ginerva Weasley."