When the War is Over: Chapter Five
(I don't own any copyrights to the Harry Potter series, or anything to do with it.)
I enter the dim room, and let my eyes adjust. We keep a small owlery, for use by the order, and I've come to visit Hedwig today. In a plastic bag I carry some fresh dead mice. There is a rustling sound, and many pairs of haunting yellow eyes focus on me all at once.
"Hedwig?" I call out in the gloom. There is a rustle, a faint hoot; I see her perched on an old coat rack in the back of the room. She shuffles around and considers me, before stretching her wings and flapping them lazily in an apathetic gesture of acceptance. I notice that one of her wings is still braced, she looks as though she's lost a few feathers, but she is happy to see me none-the-less, and more than grateful to accept the dead mice I feed her.
"I wish you could tell me where you've been," I speak to her, knowing she won't understand, but feeling comforted all the same. She blinks her yellow eyes, one after the other at me, and nibbles my fingers to let me know she wants more mice. "I haven't got anymore!" I laugh, and she looks offended; She is not the only one. I may have raised my voice a little too loud because the other pairs of eyes are glaring at me also. "I promise I'll bring more next time," I stroke her tiny head with my index finger and she seems soothed.
The door opens, and Ron walks in. He gives Hedwig a few strokes too, and than he turns to me.
"We're gathering in the kitchen," he says. I nod, and we leave the room together.
In the kitchen, Master Olivander's book is lying open, the page about the second prophecy is book-marked.
"Did we get anything else out of the book?" I ask, taking a seat.
"Some of the other entries are interesting," Lupin says, taking the seat across from me, "apparently, Master Olivander writes that at first he was simply approached by the enemy because of his wand-crafting skills. He was threatened constantly, badgered, had his store broken into and vandalized more than once, but he never gave in. He only became of truly great interest to them when he had the unfortunate luck to hear Trelawney's second prophecy. Naturally, You-Know-Who's spies found out; I think it's safe to assume, from his last entry, that they finally abducted him.
"So that puts us back at square one," Hermione says sadly, taking the seat next to me.
"Not exactly," Mad-Eye says as he thumps into the room, "You found something else, didn't you Remus?"
"Yes," Lupin muses, "there was a reference to a client of Olivander's, some years ago. Mrs. Catherine Jones was mentioned as being one of his most respected clients, all of her family has done business solely with him. I believed that she may be able to tell us more of what Olivander has been up to, but, unfortunatly, she's quite mad."
"Mad?" I ask.
"Yes, I checked up on her, and apparently, during the last war against You-Know-Who she was on Dumbledore's side. Poor thing, she was caught by the Death Eaters and tortured for many months; She has been committed to the mental ward of St. Mungo's ever since they recovered her, huddling in the dark and mumbling about 'master'. I'm afraid her family doesn't really want to be burdened with her, so they rarely visit."
"But that's awful!" I shout, "Just terrible! How could anyone be so cruel!"
"Am I to take it you'd still like to speak with her?" Lupin eyes me carefully.
"If that would be alright," I reply sheepishly.
"Well, I'm not comfortable sending you alone, so Hermione and Ron will have to go with you. You'll leave at once."
St. Mungo's is quiet; I'm reminded of the last time I visited here, when Harry saved my father from almost certain death, it was the first time I really understood how the suffering of others touched him. I wanted to be a shield against such pain, but I was useless... A few patients in the mental ward have escaped their beds, and they wander in the hallways, alone, lonely. The nurse leads us to a room marked, 'Number 311', and leaves us to our business, only commenting that visiting hours will be over in about an hour before she shuts the door behind us.
A frail looking woman about my Mum's age huddles in the corner of her bed, dark curls falling over her shoulders, clutching her arms to her chest and staring into space. I drag a chair up in front of her and sit down; Hermione and Ron stand on either side of me.
"Mrs. Jones?" I say softly, not wanting to startle her, "Mrs. Jones, my name is Ginny, and I'd like to talk with you a little bit, if you don't mind."
The woman turns her blank eyes on me, and smiles pleasantly.
"Red hair," she says gently, reaching her handout for a moment before dropping it lifelessly on the bedspread, "I used to know a girl with red hair---she was so pretty---always brushing it softly before she went to bed---doing it up before she went out."
"That's very nice--" I say, trying to rein in the conversation, but she goes on.
"Yes---Lilly was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
My mind freezes for a minute. Did she say Lilly? Not...Harry's mother?
"Of course---all the girl's were jealous of her," Mrs. Jones rambles on, "but not me---no---I liked my hair dark---just like that James, he was so dreamy---He and Lilly made such a perfect match!---" Tears suddenly well up in her eyes, and I realize she's going to break down.
"Tell me more about Lilly," I urge, and it seems to console her.
"Lilly was so pretty---" She mumbles, lying down on the bed now and closing her eyes, "-----so pretty---should have-----left them----alone-----"
"Who should have left them alone?" I urge, knowing that she's falling asleep fast
"----Dumbledore----should have----" She seems to be sleeping now, and we leave the room.
"What do you think Dumbledore had to do with Harry's parents?" Ron asks as we check out of St. Mungo's.
"I don't know..." Hermione replies, her brows furrowed.
Whatever it is, it looks like another piece of the puzzle that we'll have to work out. I'd always trusted Dumbledore; Everyone had always trusted Dumbledore, but could he have had secrets?...Could he have done something in the past that might be affecting the way things are going now...? I know he's dead, and I know his death is whatsent Harry on this suicidal crusade against Voldemort, but the truth still needs to be uncovered. Just wait, I think, just be patient a little longer, I'm coming for you...