Disclaimer- J.K. Rowling/Warner Bros. own all things Potter. This story is in no way intended as an infringement of that copyright.
A/N- Alright, since I felt bad for it taking so long to post last time, I decided to add another chapter. Hope everyone likes it. Any notes, reviews, etc are welcome. Thanks and Enjoy!
Chapter 13
She ran upstairs and looked first in Harry's room. When he wasn't in there that she could see, Ginny tried the attic. Up here there was a tiny window that let in just enough light to see by. That it faced the rising sun helped. She could see Harry's shadow on the floor. Even from over by the door, Ginny could hear him. He was crying.
Quietly she crept over to where Harry was sitting. Ginny remembered it was here in the attic that Sirius often retreated to be with Buckbeak/Witherwings. The blankets on the floor must have been from that time. Right now, they were serving Harry as something to keep him warm while he dealt with those things that were bothering him.
Standing there silently, watching the man she loved at his most vulnerable, Ginny thought back to the conversation they had shared just that very morning. She was convinced now more than ever that he was scared to face Voldemort again. She also knew that he would do it when the time came. There was something else that she was quite convinced of as well; that Harry let more things get to him than he let on.
He had talked to her, briefly, about what had happened when Dumbledore had died. That was right before he broke things off with her. While they had not had much of a chance to discus how the deaths of Sirius and Cedric or Mad-Eye had affected him, Ginny inferred from what she knew of Harry that these losses would run deep. Now she was being proven right.
Ginny could dwell on the fact that she was right about Harry. That she knew him well enough to be correct in her suppositions about him. Except that that wasn't like her. What she saw in front of her then, in that moment, was that Harry needed her.
Sitting down next to him, Ginny took Harry in her arms and held him tightly for the second time that day. That he didn't bother resisting meant the world to her. It told her that Harry trusted her. He trusted her not only with his secrets but with his feelings and his heart as well. For Ginny that was a gift worth more than if he'd handed her a new Firebolt. It told her how much Harry loved her.
A sound from behind them made her turn and look. She saw the concerned faces of Ron and Hermione. She noticed that they were holding hands. Ginny wondered absently if they even realized it.
Then Hermione came forward and sat by Harry and Ginny, trying to give comfort where she could. Even Ron sat nearby quietly watching his sister and friends.
"Harry," Hermione whispered, "Harry, it's alright. No one believes any of those things..."
"She's right mate. The Prophet is just spouting Death Eater garbage. We know you can't trust anything that they're saying," Ron added.
At the sounds of their voices, Harry looked up and wiped roughly at his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, his cheeks flushed.
"No, Harry. It's alright. That was enough to give anyone a turn," Hermione said comfortingly.
"Harry love..." Ginny began but Harry was sitting up now shaking his head.
"It's not..." He faltered.
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked him, love and patience in her tone.
"It's just that...that...that I've never really been able to...mourn them. Not properly..."
"What do you mean?" Ginny was curious.
Harry's face became a mask. His eyes were turned inward, looking into the visions that only memory could provide. The expression in his eyes, the hollow tone to his voice gave meaning to his words. What it was that he was remembering was not something pleasant.
"When Cedric...died. It was right at the end of fourth year. Professor Dumbledore had a lot of work to do. He spoke to me and explained how what happened was not my fault. But then school was over."
Harry sighed heavily as he continued, his voice losing what life there was in it the deeper he got into his memories. "Just like that, we were through. It was the train ride home and then...nothing. From anyone. You all know that Professor Dumbledore was keeping everything quiet from me. I know that he thought he had a good reason but still that didn't help...things.
That summer at my Aunt and Uncle's was bad to say the least. I had nightmares. All the time. Nightmares of how Cedric died. Of how Voldemort came back. I watched over and over in my dreams how he came back and how Cedric was killed. But that wasn't the worst of it," Harry sighed here and looked up at his friends. His eyes begged them to understand.
"My family, if you want to call them that, they didn't care. If anything all they did was make things worse. I tried to keep out of the house and away from them as much as I could. I would lie in the bushes outside. I would walk the streets. I would sit in the park. All I wanted was someone that I could talk to. Someone who would understand. But no, I was kept in the dark.
Then the Dementors came. Right there in Little Whinging and there they were. They attacked me and my cousin. I fought them off and only because of that, because I did magic in front of muggles and the Ministry was trying to make me look bad, I was taken from my Aunt and Uncles place and brought here.
I thought things would be better at first. But then, even after my trial, Professor Dumbledore wouldn't talk to me," Harry wiped his eyes again now.
He looked out the window and allowed his mind to take him back to that time, just a few short years ago.
" You all remember what fifth year was like. You were there. I'm sure you remember it just as well as I do. Umbridge, the Inquisitorial Squad, what all of that was like.
Then there was that bloody mess of a night when we went to the Ministry. I really did think that Sirius was in trouble. He was the only family I had, I had to try and help him. Only it was a trap. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were using me to get to that stupid prophecy," Harry shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.
He didn't see the tears running down the faces of Hermione and Ginny, or the sickened, upset look on Ron's face as they remembered the events of that year along with Harry. They too relived their own grief for the ones who they had known who'd died. Except that Harry wasn't through.
"When Sirius came with the others from the Order and saved us, it felt grand. Like we were really doing something important to help the Order. Never mind that it was my fault that they were there in the first place. Never mind that it would be my fault when...when he died," His voice cracked now.
Never had Harry truly taken the time to go through things like he was at that moment. He'd never really been able to allow himself to truly feel the loss of his godfather, Cedric, or even Professor Dumbledore. Those feelings were coming up now and he was powerless to stop them.
"Again, that was at the end of the school year. Dumbledore tried to help me as best he could but still he didn't have a lot of time. Sure he apologized for the way things went that summer. Maybe he blamed himself for taking away some of the time with Sirius that I could have had, who knows?
When the school year ended and I was taken off the train, Moody and a couple of others made a point of talking to my Uncle and telling him to lay off of me. And that worked, for awhile. They ignored me as much as I ignored them. But still, there are certain things that you don't do at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Not if you know what's good for you. So I couldn't say anything. I couldn't really talk to anyone. Sure we exchanged letters but that's not the same as talking, you know?"
Harry was quiet now as his mind went over and over the things he was describing. He would wipe at his eyes from time to time but only seldom did he look at his friends. It was almost like he was ashamed for showing this part of himself. Like he thought that they, his friends, would think less of him for telling them this. When he went on, it was almost like he was talking to himself.
"Then Professor Dumbledore sent that note. The one telling me that he would be picking me up himself from Privet Drive," Harry smiled a little at this memory, but it was a sad, reminiscent smile that spoke of memories past.
"They didn't know what to make of him when he showed up. It was precisely at eleven o'clock in the evening. Uncle Dursley wasn't happy about a visitor calling at that hour. I wasn't sure that he would show, so I never said anything.
Professor Dumbledore asked them, my Aunt and Uncle, if I could return to their home one more time. That the magic that protected me there would last until I turned seventeen. After that, he..." Harry swallowed hard here, his voice became nothing more than the quietest whisper, "He then told them off for the way that they treated me all those years. You could tell that he was really mad, though he never once raised his voice. I...I never got a chance to thank him for that. I never got to tell him how much that meant to me. Not that it did a lot of good. Not then anyway. Dudley seemed to come around a bit, but that was later.
Sixth year was hard. Trying to learn from Snape was a nightmare. The only things that made it bearable were Quidditch, my lessons with Dumbledore, and figuring things out with you," Harry's eyes were on Ginny now.
Her eyes were wet from the tears they shed. To hear Harry describe finding her and beginning his relationship with her as one of the highpoints of his entire year made her heart swell even more. Then Harry went on.
"Dumbledore died not long after that. There were so many things I found out later that I wanted to ask him. How well did he know my parents? Why did he have my Dad's Invisibility Cloak? How come he never mentioned that he was from Godric's Hollow? Those were things we could have shared. Didn't that mean anything to him?
I would have loved to talk to him about any one of those things.
This last summer, it was the last time I would live at Privet Drive. We left that night and Mad-Eye was killed. It's not like we really had a chance to mourn him. Something was always going on. There was the reading of Dumbledore's will, my birthday, preparing for the wedding, then watching Bill and Fleur get married. When the Death Eaters attacked, we just acted. Where was the time to say good-bye?"
Harry shook his head, running his fingers through his already untidy hair again. Looking up at his friends, he looked each one directly in the eyes. He started and ended with Ginny. Both times she felt her stomach tighten involuntarily as he turned those emerald green orbs on her. "I know what it is that I have to do. That we have to do. But I really don't want to lose any more friends. I don't know how well I could take that," Harry sighed heavily as he wiped his eyes one last time, "I'm sorry I lost it back there."
"I don't think anyone could deny what you've been through, mate. That kind of thing has to take its toll on a bloke, you know?" Ron said awkwardly.
Ginny looked at her brother. She knew that he had a capacity to be kind. But this was different. This was compassion. It was a side of Ron that she wasn't used to seeing, though it was not the first time she'd seen that side of him. She remembered well his kindnesses from this last summer, after Harry had broken things off with her. She smiled at her brother. That smile widened when Hermione reached out and took his hand.
"Ron's right, Harry. But you know that we're here for you, right?" Hermione asked him.
"Yeah, I know that. You lot made that pretty clear last night. I was just too big a git to really pay attention to it," was Harry's sheepish reply.
"We love you, Harry. We're in this with you. We just have to decide what to do next," There was no mistaking the earnest look in Hermione's eyes. Ginny and Ron were nodding their agreement.
"You saw what I went through. I know I asked you before, but are you sure you want to go with me on this? I'm alright if you say no," Harry hedged.
Ron's hand was on Harry's shoulder as he replied; "And like we told you before, we're with you, mate. Until the end. Until it all ends,"
"Then let's finish this," Harry said firmly.
They stood up and there was a moment of hugs and embraces. Ginny saw Harry glance down at the joined hands of Ron and Hermione. When he looked back up at her, she winked and took his hand in her own. Together they all went back downstairs.
The next few days would have seemed like any other to a casual observer. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were developing a routine of picking up various spell books which they would then read and practice out of.
As a group they also practiced doing spells non-verbally. Ginny knew that this was something that Harry had had problems with previously. It was a credit to Hermione and her patience with him that he was able to finally, after what seemed like endless trying and practicing, get the hang of it. Of course some spells were easier to do non verbally than others.
It felt like they were back in first year; starting first with easy spells that they had mastered quickly in first year and then from there the non-verbal spells they tried became progressively more difficult. That first day was the most difficult. All of them went to bed that evening feeling like they had done a full day of schooling, which in essence they had.
For Ginny it felt wonderful to truly be able to use magic again. She felt it was because of this that she was so quick to master doing spells non-verbally. The only one magical skill that everyone was hesitant to teach her was how to Apparate.
When she asked why, it was Ron surprisingly who told her about getting splinched. She would have found his story funny if the thought of something else, like an arm or leg, getting splinched wasn't so frightening.
One thing quickly became apparent though. It was at the end of the third day when Harry was magically fixing a broken mantle clock that Hermione exclaimed; "We really need somewhere more conducive to practice in,"
"Like where, Hermione? I don't think we're going to be able to find anywhere else right now," Ron replied rubbing a sore shoulder.
"I don't know, but there has to be something. What about Bill and Fleur's place?"
"Hermione, it's a small cottage. They have less room there than we do," Ron said.
They were putting couch cushions back on the couch. They had been practicing summoning and then repelling them. It was only within the last few hours that they started routinely having any luck with their efforts.
Once the cushions were back in place they sat down in the drawing room. It was decided to call and end to their training for the day. Harry, who had taken to carrying around the locket left by Regulus in his pocket, took it out and started playing with it absently while the group started talking again.
"What we need is something like the Room of Requirement," Ginny said remembering the room where the D.A. practiced their lessons.
"Good luck finding something like that here," Ron was settling back into the seat he'd taken on the couch, his arms crossed behind his head.
"What about the basement?" Asked Hermione as she sat down next to Ron.
Glancing over at him nervously, she scooted herself a little closer to him. Ginny took it as a good sign that Ron didn't seem to notice. She knew that Hermione had been trying to do more to get Ron's attention. She thought that things were looking up for her friend when they were holding hands the other night when Harry was so upset. That was the last time she'd seen anything like that out of her brother.
Harry on the other hand had no such reservations. With the possible exception of when her parents were in the room, he would often hold her hand or let her fuss over him. Ginny sensed that as far as he was concerned, Harry didn't care about any of the stuff that Ron seemed to get upset about. He was just happy to be with her again.
"What about the basement?" Harry asked tiredly.
"Has anyone been down there to look around? Maybe we could practice down there," Looking around for any objections to her suggestion, Hermione suggested, she looked like she was ready to stand up and leave the room.
"Can we look into it tomorrow?" Asked Ron.
He had put his arms down and looked a little startled to find his hand now resting on Hermione's. There was a moment where Ron didn't look like he quite knew what to do. Then he left his hand where it was. Ginny smiled but hers wasn't half as big a smile as the one Hermione wore. If Harry noticed, he didn't say anything. He just continued to play with the locket.
"Why do you do that, Harry?" Ron asked him suddenly.
"I don't know. I've been trying to think about what it means and how we're going to find the real one,"
"But do you have to continue playing with it like that?" Ron added, "It's driving me round the twist!"
"Short drive is it Ron?" Ginny asked him with a grin.
Ron looked at Ginny in annoyance as Hermione stifled a giggle. Meanwhile Harry opened the locket again and removed the note inside. He was staring at that note when Dobby walked into the room with a tray of refreshments. On it was a flagon of pumpkin juice and four cups.
While Dobby was pouring the Pumpkin Juice he stopped suddenly when he saw the locket in Harry's hands. Ginny saw his eyes widen in recognition of the locket Harry held.
"Did Harry Potter find Kreacher's locket?" Dobby asked.
Ginny felt Harry freeze beside her. She saw him close his hand on the locket, and he didn't seem aware of the fact that he crumpled the note in his and as well. Ginny watched him as he studied the elf for a moment.
"Kreacher's locket?" Harry asked carefully.
There was a note of excitement in his tone. Ginny could feel the sudden tension in him. It was easy to understand why. It looked like they may have just stumbled on to something just sitting there in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place.
"When Dobby was at Hogwarts, Kreacher talked about his master's locket. Kreacher said that it was taken from him," Dobby began.
"Dobby," Hermione said leaning forward now, "Did the locket look like this one? Do you know?"
"Dobby never saw the locket, miss. Dobby only heard Kreacher talk bad about Harry Potter and talk about his locket that was stolen from his house." Dobby's eyes seemed to follow the locket in Harry's hands as they anxiously opened and closed the locket. The note from R.A.B. now lying forgotten on the floor.
Ginny could see by the look on Harry's face that he was thinking hard. She didn't know exactly what was on his mind but thought she might have a good idea when Harry said; "Oh my goodness, it couldn't be...Kreacher, I need you!"
Everyone in the room jumped, even Dobby.
"Bloody Hell Harry, what in blazes was that about?" Ron asked as he looked up at his friend looking annoyed.
But Ron never got his answer. With a loud POP Kreacher appeared in their midst. He was dressed in an old flour sack that was tied over one shoulder. His hands were covered in flour and some had found its way onto his face. The old, grizzled house elf looked none too happy to have been called back to Grimmauld Place by Harry. His wrinkles hung off him in folds and they deepened especially around his eyes as they widened at the sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny in front of him.
"Master called?" His voice was a creepy rasp, "Vile friend to mudbloods and blood traitors that he is. Mistress would be very upset to have this filth in her house,"
Ginny felt a deep dislike of the house elf. Apparently so did Ron because his ears turned red as he replied harshly, "We can hear you, you know!"
"The Blood Traitor talked to Kreacher, Kreacher will pretend that he cannot hear him,"
"Maybe all that hair in his ears has made him deaf," Ron commented to no one in particular.
"Kreacher! Stop calling my friends names!" Harry ordered him.
Immediately the elf's mouth shut. Ginny could see his mouth working but there was no sound coming out of it. Hermione however took an issue with Harry's tone.
"Harry, you need to be nice to him,"
Ginny thought that Hermione must be mental to ask him to be nice to that wretched thing. Apparently Harry agreed because his next statement was just as angrily spoken,
"Kreacher, you are forbidden from calling Hermione a mudblood and Ron and Ginny or anyone else here a blood traitor!"
The mouth of Kreacher continued still to work and it was still without sound. His eyes looked daggers at Harry. Harry looked them right back at the elf. Ginny waited while Harry decided what to do next.
"Kreacher," Harry began slowly, he looked like he was figuring this out as he went along, "I need to talk to you. I want you to answer my questions, and answer them truthfully. Is that clear?"
Hermione looked annoyed. Harry's voice carried no kindness to it but neither was it overly hostile. Ron looked like Ginny felt; happy to go along with things for now.
"Kreacher will do as his master wishes," he said in his bullfrog voice, "Kreacher would rather not but he has no choice,"
Harry left this alone. Instead he held up the locket he'd been holding in his hand. He let it fall to the end of it's chain and watched the venerable house elf's reaction to seeing it. Watching him, Ginny didn't think anyone was prepared for what happened next.
Kreacher's eyes went wide and his face looked horrified at what Harry was holding in his hand.
"Do you know this locket?" Harry asked watching his house elf closely.
"Master Regulus' locket! You have his locket!"
"So you do know it!" Ron exclaimed excitedly.
Kreacher turned his eyes on Ron, "Yes, Kreacher knows that locket,"
"What do you know about it, Kreacher?" Hermione asked him kindly.
"The mudblood speaks to Kreacher, oh how his mistress would look upon him if he answered her," Kreacher said sounding revolted.
Dobby gave an involuntary squeal. Kreacher had just violated an order, a direct order from his master. Harry glanced at Dobby but addressed his comment to his elf;
"Kreacher! I told you not to call my friends names! You will NOT refer to Hermione as a mudblood!" Harry barked angrily.
He needn't have said anything. The elf was already running full speed towards the wall, looking to ram his head into it. Ginny dove after him and caught him by his ankles. The elf struggled against her for a moment and then began wailing and beating his fists on the floor.
"Oh no! Make him stop, please make him stop!" Hermione cried.
With a surprised look at Kreacher's reaction, it was a milder tone that came from Harry this time, "Kreacher, please stop trying to hurt yourself,"
Immediately the house elf complied. He turned and looked at Harry and found Harry looking back at him. They seemed to be studying each other. That they both disliked each other immensely was obvious. Kreacher's gaze upon Harry was just as cold as the one Harry gave back to him.
After a moment, Harry spoke again. He was quieter this time but his next statement was no less a command because of it.
"She asked you a question, Kreacher. What do you know about this locket?"
For a moment his eyes remained on Harry's before they went back to the locket in his hand. Then the elf burst into tears. They were tears of frustration at having to obey an order he didn't want to, they were tears from years of built up guilt and shame.
The sobs wracked the pitiful body of the elf. Even Dobby, who held no love for Kreacher and had reacted in shock at the elf's blatant disobedience of Harry's order, looked at the crying elf with a pained expression.
Hermione tried to reach out to him but the elf made an enraged noise and lunged angrily at her. Hermione jumped just as Ron was reaching forward to defend her.
"Hey, you leave her alone!" Ron shouted at him,
"Kreacher, I'm sorry," Hermione said tearfully.
How Hermione could apologize to the house elf after he'd just lunged at her was beyond Ginny. She knew that Hermione had a soft spot for these beings but thought that maybe she was carrying it a little too far, "He just tried to attack you, Hermione,"
"He doesn't understand what he's doing!" she argued.
"Oh yes he does, just like his precious mistress, Kreacher falls in with the old Black family line. No tolerance for those that don't have pure blood is it Kreacher?" Harry asked.
The elf just continued crying and sobbing on the floor.
"I'm waiting to hear about this locket," Harry told him coldly.
After a few more moments of crying and wailing, Kreacher calmed enough to begin talking. He said; "Kreacher was a good house elf once. Master Regulus was particularly fond of Kreacher. He wasn't like his brother Sirius who broke his mother's heart with his care-free ways. Sirius who turned his back on his noble pure-blood heritage. Regulus embraced it. He was noble and pure. When he was sixteen, Regulus was allowed to join the Dark Lord and help him with his cause of ridding the world of those wizards whose blood was not pure.
When Master came to see Kreacher one day, he said that the Dark Lord needed an elf. Master volunteered Kreacher for the duty. It was an honor Master said, for Kreacher to serve the Dark Lord. Master told Kreacher he was a good elf. He told Kreacher that he must do the Dark Lord's bidding and return home,"
At this point, the elf took a moment to collect himself. It was clear that telling this story was taking its toll on him. His eyes watered, his nose ran, and his ears quivered as her spoke. He sat curled in a tight ball on the floor, his head resting on his knees as he obeyed Harry's order to tell him about the locket.
"So it was Voldemort who asked for an elf? Why? I thought the locket belonged to Regulus!" Harry asked.
Ginny thought he looked a good deal like there was something important here that he wasn't getting. She reached out and put a calming hand on Harry's arm and felt him relax a little.
While they listened, the four people and Dobby became more and more engrossed in the story. They were quiet and thoughtful as the old elf continued with his tale.
"Kreacher did as he was commanded. He went with the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a dark cave by the sea..."
At this Ginny watched as Harry's color paled and he closed his eyes. She remembered Harry telling her that the locket he had came from a cave such as this. It must be the one! She listened as Kreacher recounted his tale of going to that cave, being made to drink some vile potion and then how the Dark Lord left him there to die.
First expressions of disbelief then horror covered their faces as they listened to Kreacher tell about how he, nearly dying with thirst, went to the black water to drink. Hermione gave an involuntary gasp as he told them about being dragged under the water by the Infiri only to escape back to his home at Grimmauld Place.
At this point, Harry held up his hand. "Hang on, you can't apparate out of that cave. If you could then Dumbledore would have apparated us into it so we wouldn't have had to swim."
"Don't you see Harry?" Hermione said to him, "Humans can't apparate out of the cave, but elves can."
"She's right," Ron added, "House elves have their own magic and its supposed to be very powerful in its own right,"
"I bet You-Know-Who didn't think about that when he took Kreacher to that cave, did he?" Ginny ventured.
"Probably not. He probably didn't think a house elf could possibly posses any magic he himself didn't have," Hermione agreed.
By this time Kreacher had resumed crying. Looking like she wanted to reach out and comfort the vile creature, Hermione restrained herself. Ron put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She reached up and held it there.
Kreacher was going on about the effects that the potion had had on him; "He cried for his Mistress, he cried for his Master, Kreacher even cried for Miss Bella and Miss Cissy, but no one came. No one came for poor Kreacher..."
"Kreacher," Harry interrupted him, his color was still chalky pale; "What happened after you came back here? I know this locket isn't the one you put into that bowl in the cave by the lake when you went with Voldemort. What happened next?"
Ginny noted that Harry's voice, while firm, was softer than it had been before. There was a note of kindness in it. For his part, Kreacher must have noticed something too. He responded more readily to Harry's request for information.
"Kreacher returned to his Master and told him what had happened. Master Regulus listened to him as Kreacher told him about the lake, the boat, the potion, and the locket and the bowl where the locket was put. But Master Regulus was worried. He was very worried when he heard what Kreacher told him.
He told Kreacher to stay in the house and to remain hidden. He told Kreacher never to speak of this locket to anyone. Then, it was many months later, Master came to visit Kreacher in his cupboard. He was acting strange; not right in the head. He asked Kreacher to take him to the cave where the locket was hidden.
Master went with Kreacher to the dark cave. Kreacher showed master how to gain entrance to the hidden chamber. How to raise the boat and travel across the black lake to the island where the locket was hidden. Once there Master gave Kreacher his last orders.
Kreacher was to help Master drink the potion, all of it. Then Kreacher was to put the other locket in place of the one that the Dark Lord had put into the bowl. He then was bidden to take the locket and bring it home to destroy it. Above all else, Kreacher was to destroy the locket.
Poor Master. He drank the potion and crawled to the water just as Kreacher did. Kreacher begged and begged him not to drink the water. Not to call up the Infiri who were waiting inside. Master was even more disturbed. He did not hear Kreacher. He drank. And they came. Again Kreacher left after putting the false locket in place of the real one. Kreacher brought the real locket home. And...and...Kreacher failed his orders!" He wailed even harder now.
It took them some time to get the house elf to calm down. Dobby spoke up at this point, his voice full of pity for his fellow elf, "Kreacher brought back the locket but couldn't destroy it. A house elf's highest law is to obey their master. There is no choice not to,"
"You weren't successful destroying the locket?" Ginny asked, curious as to how the house elf could have possibly failed in his orders.
He looked at her pleadingly as he answered; "No. Nothing Kreacher did worked on the locket. Nothing made a mark or a dent. Kreacher could not open the locket to destroy it either. It would not open. Kreacher could not destroy the locket as he was ordered and he failed!"
"Kreacher," Harry growled, "I'm sure you feel bad about your failure. I bet you're all broken up over it. Just like I'm sure you were broken up over helping Bellatrix when she needed information to help kill Sirius too."
"Harry, stop. Please!" Hermione cried.
Looking at her Ginny could see she had tears in her eyes. What was she playing at? All Kreacher had ever done was work against Harry and the members of the Order. Harry was right to dislike him. When had the elf ever done anything worth respect?
"Harry, don't you see? No one was ever kind to him. He's starved for affection. Isn't that rather like the way you felt when you stayed with your Aunt and Uncle? Your situations aren't so very far apart,"
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
But Ginny could see it. She saw right away what it was that Hermione was talking about and where her reasoning was headed.
"Are you saying I'm like him?" Harry asked. He looked thunderstruck by the thought.
"No, Harry. What I'm saying is look at how you felt living with your Aunt and Uncle. I'm sure you remember how you felt when they were needlessly cruel. Kreacher was loyal to those who were nice to him. I'm certain that's why he liked Regulus and disliked Sirius..."
"Don't you start on Sirius,"
"Harry," Ginny interjected gently, "I loved Sirius too. I miss him just like you do. But I'm not so blind to miss the fact that Sirius didn't like Kreacher. If Regulus did and was nice to him, doesn't it make sense that Kreacher would feel loyalty to him?"
He looked from Hermione to Ginny and back again.
"I think that's why its Miss Bella and Miss Cissy. I'm sure they were perfectly nice to him. So I don't think he minded it when they asked him if he would mind doing a few favors for them," Reasoned Hermione plaintatively.
"So you're saying if we're nice to him, that maybe we'll get somewhere with all of this?" Ron asked skeptically.
"Yes Ron, that's exactly what I'm saying."
Harry seemed to think on what Hermione and Ginny were telling him. He took a deep breath and then said, "Kreacher, you er...did well. You brought the locket back like you were told,"
Hermione was nodding encouragement now. Ginny took Harry's hand in both of hers in a show of encouragement and support. He traded unsure glances with Ron as he continued.
"Kreacher, since you made it back home with the locket, do you know where it is now?"
Kreacher was looking at Harry now as if he were re-evaluating him. It prompted Harry to add, "Please, Kreacher. This is important. You were ordered to destroy that locket. I know how to do it. I'll help you to follow the orders you were given," Harry replied as nicely as he could.
At this the elf's eyes watered again. He started crying and wailing. His nose was running profusely. He wiped at it occasionally with the hem of his outfit.
Ginny felt Harry tense as he watched the house elf for a few minutes, giving him some time. Figuring it couldn't hurt anything, she added, "Please Kreacher. This is very important. Master Regulus would be very proud of you,"
Finally, after several minutes of crying and hiccoughing, the elf calmed down enough to speak again.
"Not long after Master Sirius died, the sneak thief Mundungus Fletcher came. He went through it all. He even stole from Kreacher's cupboard. He tried to stop Mundungus but the thief prevailed. The locket is gone,"
"Can you find it? Can you find Mundungus and bring him here?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Harry, wait!" Ron said quickly, "If you have him bring Dung here, my parents and whoever else is here is going to want to know why you have your house elf doing things like that. They'll want to know what's going on,"
"So what do you suggest, Ron?" Ginny asked.
"Where is there to go?" Hermione asked, "We can't bring him here, we can't take him to Shell Cottage. Hogwarts is out. Where else is there?"
Harry looked around thoughtfully for a few minutes.
"I've got it!" He cried.
"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"Kreacher, I need you to find Mundungus Fletcher. First however we need to set up somewhere else so that when you do find Dung we have a place where we can speak to him. Can a house elf's magic help protect against muggles and other wizards?"
"Yes, Sir," Dobby answered first. He seemed to resent being left out of things.
"Dobby, I need you to stay here for now and continue helping out Ron's Mum and Dad. Kreacher wouldn't be missed which is why I need him," Harry explained.
"What are you planning, Harry?" asked Ron.
"I've got an idea, and a place we can go," Harry replied as he turned to Hermione, "How long will it take you to get ready? I mean really ready to go?"
"I don't know. A day, maybe two. Why Harry? What is it you have planned?"
Looking first at Dobby then at Kreacher, Harry said, "I need for you two not to say anything to anyone about what we're doing or about what we've talked about. Please. Kreacher this is an order. Dobby, you're a free elf. I can only ask you and hope that you'll do as I ask,"
"Harry Potter is Dobby's friend. Dobby is happy to serve Harry Potter. Dobby won't say anything. Harry Potter can call on Dobby whenever he needs him and Dobby will come!" The house elf said sweeping a low bow, his nose touching the floor.
"Kreacher will do as his master commands," He croaked. He almost sounded hopeful.
"Harry, will you please tell us what it is that you're planning to do?" Ginny asked him.
"We all knew that we'd have to leave again. We're going to do just that,"
"But where are we going to go?" Asked Hermione.
"Yeah, I thought we just determined that there isn't anywhere to go," Ron added fearfully.
"I thought you told me you had a tent," Ginny said to Hermione.
"We do, and we can use that if we need to however my impression is that Harry has something of a plan,"
"I do," Harry said with little enthusiasm.
"Well, what is it then?" Ron shouted in frustration.
Harry sighed heavily. It looked to Ginny like he was reluctant to say. Even more it looked as if he was reluctant to have to follow through with the plan he'd come up with.
"What is it, Harry? Go on, tell us," She prodded.
"We go to my Aunt and Uncle's place in Little Whinging. The Death Eaters will never think to look for us there," He sighed.
"But Harry, didn't you hear Remus? The Death Eaters are staking out anywhere that has any connection to you. They're bound to have someone stationed there too." Hermione countered.
"Where else is there, Hermione? The Order has already placed loads of protective spells and enchantments on it. It will give us a roof over our heads and allow us to deal with Mundungus. We can plan our next move from there as well,"
"I don't like this Harry," Hermione said reluctantly.
"Neither do I, mate. Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Ron looked skeptical, but resolute.
"You're both forgetting one thing; the same thing that Voldemort himself forgot with Kreacher here," Harry said with a triumphant look.
"Of course!" Ginny exclaimed, "That's why you asked Kreacher about his magic! You think that the Death Eaters will discount it and that it will make us safe!"
"As safe as we can be, anyway. You're exactly right." Harry smiled at her adoringly.
"That's brilliant!" Ron enthused.
"Really, Harry, if that works," Hermione intoned disbelievingly.
"If it works. If it doesn't, we'll have to figure out something else," Harry cautioned them.
It was later that same evening when the next surprise was dumped on their laps. It was after dinner and everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Kreacher had been sent back to Hogwarts for the time being. Dobby had returned to his self appointed duties keeping the house and those inside it comfortable.
After several hours of reading through the stack of Daily Prophets, Mr. Weasley called everyone into the kitchen. The face he wore was unusually serious and could even be described as grave.
"It looks like while we've been holed up in here, there have been some interesting developments in the Wizarding World. None of them have been very good," Mr. Weasley began.
"Harry, this may be hard to hear, but the Prophet has all but directly accused you of being responsible for the deaths of Dumbledore, Cedric Diggory, Mad-Eye, and even some muggles that have met with what the Prophet calls mysterious ends.
I think what they're trying to do is to discredit you everywhere they can. They likely reckon that if they can turn enough people against you, then not enough people will want to stand with you to give them any cause to worry,"
Mr. Weasley's gaze turned towards Hermione; "I know that you're aware of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. The Ministry is almost completely under the control of You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters now. From what the Prophet is reporting, many Muggle-Borns are attempting to cause trouble or to flee what the Ministry says is just and rightful questioning. The Muggle-Borns who've been caught by the Ministry are being detained. The Prophet doesn't say where, but it's a safe bet where they're being put,"
Hermione's eyes widened in realization as she said fearfully, "Azkaban,"
"My suspicion is that you're correct," Mr. Weasley nodded dejectedly.
"Azkaban, Arthur? Do you really think they'll take things that far?" Mrs. Weasley looked quite upset at hearing this.
"Yes, Molly. I do. They have to have a place to put all of the people they round up and Azkaban is the only place that truly makes sense," Speculated Mr. Weasley.
"What about the half bloods? What are they going to do with them?" Ron asked fearfully.
"Ron, there aren't enough pure bloods to run things with the way the Ministry is taking things. I imagine those who are not of pureblood descent will have to answer some questions. At the very least they'll be given the menial jobs that nobody really wants. All of the jobs of leadership or that might give someone some power will go to the Death Eaters or those who can prove their pureblood status that also support the Death Eater's cause,"
Mr. Weasley sighed and then held up a copy of the Prophet that was dated the day after Harry had gone off to Hogwarts, "This confirms what I suspect."
"What is it?" Harry asked as he gestured towards the paper in Mr. Weasley's hand.
"Look and see," Mr. Weasley handed him the paper.
Ginny watched as Harry took the paper and read it. As he did, his eyes widened at the sight of the article he was reading.
"What is it, Harry?" She asked.
"Snape! He's been confirmed as Hogwarts Headmaster! There's an interview with him here," Harry replied angrily.
"Snape? Headmaster of Hogwarts? That's mental!" Ron was not happy.
His ears turned red and he stood up and came around to read the paper over Harry's shoulder. As he read Ginny watched his ears color even more and then watched as it spread to the back of his neck.
"That flea bitten son of a..."
"RON!" Hermione and Mrs. Weasley exclaimed together.
He looked up and apologized half heartedly, "Sorry, but this is...this is... This is bile!"
"That's the way it is, Ron," Mr. Weasley sighed.
"But this? This is wrong! No more houses. No more sorting. Changes in discipline to be overseen by a dedicated disciplinarian. The list of classes available to be taught at Hogwarts is changing. Attendance is now mandatory for all children who are of half blood or pure blood descent. How can anyone allow this?" Harry added agreeing with his friend.
"What about Hagrid?" Ginny asked thoughtfully, "He's half giant. What are they going to do with him?"
"Or Firenze," Added a now visibly upset Hermione, "He's a centaur on the staff. He won't be able to teach and he's been banished from the forest. He can't go back, he'll be killed!"
Ron, trying very hard not to be obvious, went over behind Hermione and placed his hands on her shoulders. She glanced at him in mild surprise and smiled at him gratefully.
"With the current government we have, that is a distinct possibility," Mr. Weasley replied sadly.
The conversation lasted well into the night. It was a depressed and dejected Mrs. Weasley who gave them all a last cup of cocoa and then it was time for bed.
Everyone went upstairs and got into their pajamas however tensions were running high. Neither Harry nor Ron were feeling tired enough to get any sleep. Harry was sitting in Ron's room and they were talking about the current status of the wizarding world, the Ministry of Magic, and how things were changing in general.
A soft knock on the door sounded only moments before it opened. It was Ginny and Hermione. They entered the room, locked the door, and Hermione wordlessly waved her wand at the door one final time. When Ron looked at her inquiringly, her only reply was; "Muffliato,"
The room was quiet for a moment before Ron asked the obvious; "You two couldn't sleep either?"
"No," Ginny said as she crawled up onto Harry's bed sitting next to him. Hermione sat down next to Ron and was rewarded as he awkwardly put his hand on her arm. She gave a little smile and which seemed to hearten Ron, but he did no more.
"Harry, things out there are bad,"
"I know, Hermione. I know. This has to end. We need to get started hunting down and destroying those horcruxes again," Harry said, his voice underlining his conviction.
"So since we're going to do this, when do we go? We told Kreacher about three days," Ron said quietly.
His arm had worked its way up and around Hermione's shoulders now. She was beaming and blushing happily and leaned into him a little bit.
Ginny sat and watched this little byplay between Ron and Hermione feeling a mild sense of amusement. It was so obvious that they liked each other. She was glad that Ron seemed to be finally getting it. He could be a royal git when he wanted to, but he was good for Hermione. She hoped that this thing they were about to do wouldn't get in the way of whatever chance they had. For that matter, she was determined not to let it get in the way of any chance she had with Harry either. The sooner all of this business ended with the Ministry of Magic and You-Know-Who, the better.
"Are you sure you really want to go? You just heard what things are really like out there," Harry hedged.
Ron, Ginny, and Hermione exchanged exasperated looks.
"Harry, we've been over this. No one is backing out. We're going to see this through," Ginny replied.
Reaching up and kissing his cheek, she added; "No matter how it ends. We're here for you. Let's go."
"Right then," Harry nodded as he smiled grimly, "We go. Three days. Hermione, will you be ready?"
"Yes, I will be."
"Ron, do you need to do anything?"
"No mate, I'm as ready as I get,"
"Ginny?"
She answered him by kissing him. She kissed him deeply and he let her pull him into her arms. She knew Ron would be upset but he'd live. This was the only way she could think of, short of cursing Harry, to get him to quit asking them if they were sure they wanted to go.
When the kiss broke, a slightly delirious and breathless Harry swallowed hard and said, "Right then. Day after tomorrow, we go,"
About bloody time, Ginny thought.