Chapter 3
Harry sank into a worn chair by the window. The room was cramped and filled almost to its capacity. Many of Hermione's things were with her parents still, simply because there was not enough room in the tiny house for all of it. A bed barely big enough for two people was pushed against the wall, and a wardrobe hung slightly open from all the items it contained. As Harry looked out of the small window, he could see nothing but empty streets. Even muggles, who had no idea what was going on, were choosing to stay inside these days. Ron shut the door quietly and took a seat on the floor. Hermione continued to stand, a look of intense worry on her face.
"So," Ron began. "What's up?" Harry put his hands over his eyes, and the image from the night before swam into his view. He had almost forgotten what a good audience Ron and Hermione were. The remembered to gasp in all the right spots, and as Harry finished the dream in little more than a whisper, Ron and Hermione both yelled,
"No!" Hermione sank onto her bed.
"But…it can't…she's still…right?" Hermione stammered. Ron rolled his eyes.
"It's so nice that you always explain things so very eloquently" Hermione looked as if she was gearing up a retort, but Harry interrupted,
"Guys. Remember? Crisis and all that?" They fell silent
"Well, This is like what he did with Sirius, isn't it? Showing him to you in the Department of Mysteries to lure you there? Couldn't he be doing the same thing?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.
"I doubt it. Voldemort is evil, but he isn't stupid. He doesn't use the same tactic more than once, especially when it landed most of his followers in jail the first time."
"Not that it lasted long…" muttered Ron, clearly remembering the headline a week before announcing that Azkaban had been emptied.
"So we have two possibilities." Hermione murmured. "Either Harry is just dreaming out his fears, or…" She paused and Harry finished for her
"Or it's real." Ron looked bemused
"It can't be real though, Ginny is in the kitchen with Mum."
"Could it be someone using Polyjuice Potion?" Hermione asked. Ron's eyes grew wide, but Harry shook his head.
"No. If he takes her, he'll want me to know she's gone. Immediately. And last night…just believe me. It's her" Ron looked as though he wanted to pursue what had happened last night to make Harry so sure, but Hermione interjected before he could begin.
"So it really was just a dream, then? Ginny's safe" They all nodded. As they got up to leave, Harry said,
"Let's keep this quiet, then, shall we? The last thing I need is more concern from anyone."
"It doesn't make any sense!" Charlie yelled, slamming his fist on the table. The other occupants of the small table jumped. Harry looked up from the map he was pouring over to see Lupin put his hand on Charlie's shoulder.
"Calm down." said Lupin "You'll get us nowhere by losing you're temper." Charlie sat back down, rubbing his fist where it had made contact with the wood.
"Charlie's right though, Remus" said Kinsley Shaklebolt in his deep voice. "We have spies everywhere looking for him, and nothing. There isn't even any news of his plans. He's being more cautious this time." He shook his head. "I am sorry Harry." Harry shook his head.
"He wants the fight to be on his terms. He won't let me find him until he's ready." Lupin sighed.
"The question is, Harry, are you ready? When he finds you, will you be ready to fight?" He thought of the locket, the last Horcrux he had destroyed. In his minds eye, he watched it glow blood red and then fade. He remembered the unearthly shriek the soul piece made as it was obliterated. He remembered the fight the locket itself had put up, the curses he had been forced to break before it could be destroyed. He rubbed his shoulder where his newest scar, one of many he had procured in the past year, was etched into his skin. He had one more Horcrux to demolish. He felt ill as he thought of Nagini, Voldemort's repulsive snake. He sorely hoped that the spell to destroy a Horcrux was the same when applied to a living creature. He must have been silent for quite some time because Lupin clapped him on the back.
"Harry? Are you alright?"
"Fine. Just…just thinking." He sat down into the wooden chair behind him. "Everything's ready. I just need to find him." He put his hands over his face and listened as conversation resumed around him. Ron and Hermione continued where Harry had left off, pouring over the worn map. Kingsley, Charlie and Lupin fell deep into conversation about locales not yet searched. Fred and George were talking to their father, and Harry smiled to himself as he overheard their conversation.
"The thing is Dad, what if You-Know-Who is using…" Fred lowered his voice, "A Horcrux?"
"Yea," George added, "We were doing research for new products and ran across the word. When we found out what it was (which took no small amount of looking, let me tell you), it seemed like the exact type of thing You-Know-Who would use" Mr. Weasly shivered.
"It's quite possible, I suppose, though we have no proof for it. It seems well within his character. I don't think it would be wise to worry Harry with assumptions right now. We'll look into though." Harry almost laughed. All but one Horcrux destroyed, before the idea even occurred to the Order. He rubbed his temples, as if trying to stimulate a new revelation as to Voldemort's whereabouts.
The house slowly emptied, dinner finished and no news as to Voldemort's whereabouts or new plans. Fred and George walked slowly toward him.
"Fancy a game of Quidditch before bed, mate?" Harry smiled. In such dark times, could Quidditch really still exist? Hermione looked absolutely scandalized.
"You can't go outside! Let alone FLY outside! What if there's an ambush?" Fred raised an eyebrow
"An ambush? On our back field? Come on, Hermione, even you know that's ridiculous. Come on Harry, we'll get Charlie to come with. Ron and Ginny have already said they'll play" Ignoring Hermione's protest, Harry nodded and apparated to his room for his Firebolt. Just before he left the kitchen, he heard Hermione.
"Oh, your mother is going to kill you."
In ten minutes, Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Ginny and Charlie were assembled with their brooms in the field behind the house. Hermione had refused to come, saying that she had better things to do and that when they were all captured, she would only laugh. As they had exited the house, Ron had leaned over to Harry and muttered,
"It's really just like be married to my mother."
"We don't exactly have a snitch." Charlie said "But we have plenty of acorns, which will do fine in a trice. Ginny, if you would?" She picked one off the ground and pointed her wand at it silently. Harry watched, impressed, as the acorn swelled and began to glow, not brightly, but enough to be seen in the twilight. Another moment and the acorn grew wings and began to flutter about.
"Very nice, little sister" exclaimed George. "Three on Three, then?"
Harry lay in bed that night exhausted, but for once, it was from the exhilaration of flight and of competition. He had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be flying and feeling the wind beat against his face. Had Hogwarts really only been closed a year? It seemed an eternity since he had flown over the Quidditch pitch, thinking of nothing but catching the little gold ball that flitted around the stadium. Not that tonight's game had been much like that. The acorn was no real snitch, and each one they bewitched lasted only a few minutes before it flew off into the woods. Still, it had been nice to laugh for only a moment, living, and if only for an hour, as if life was simple and empty of disturbing dreams and danger. Every night for the past week, he had seen Ginny in the Department of Mysteries, watched her spit at Voldemort, and had the urge to beat the lust out of Macnair's eyes. Unsurprisingly, tonight he found himself again in the Department of Mysteries. But something was different. Tonight he felt the cool of the floor on his bare feet. The chill of the night air sent real shivers down his spine. He watched the familiar exchange and waited for the escape of consciousness. But as Macnair neared Ginny, Voldemort turned and stared deep into Harry's eyes. Harry felt his scar explode with pain, and heard Voldemort's smooth voice.
"Here is the question, Harry Potter. Are you dreaming? Or do I truly have the most beautiful and precious thing you possess? Will you risk her life by staying away, or risk the lives of others by coming? The choice is yours, Harry. You remember how much Dumbledore loved choice." Ginny's screams died away and Harry awoke in a cold sweat.
