Disclaimer: No, No, NO, I don't own it!
Chapter 14: Classes Resume
Harry and Ginny didn't bother to appear for breakfast the next day. They took their breakfast in their office, away from the rest of the students. "So what are we going to do this year?" Ginny questioned as she ate her cereal.
"I don't see how you can stand to eat that stuff," Harry grumbled as he indicated towards her cereal. "I don't know what we are going to do. I mean we dueled last year. So what can we really do?"
"Its really good Harry. Hermione gave me some a few weeks ago."
"Well I mean there is a lot we can do I am sure."
"I want to talk to everyone about Old Magic. I believe that my older self has left a bit more information in my head then I would like."
Harry laughed. "I think that will do well," he mumbled as he moved to wrap his arms around her waist. Ginny smiled and leaned back against him. "Are you ready?" he said against her neck.
"It's just another school year love. We can do this one like we have been."
"Do you think things will be as bad as last year?"
"No, I don't think it will be," she whispered as she turned to look at him. "Let's just see how everything goes today. Maybe this year will be actually quiet."
"I can only hope that it does." Harry told her just before he kissed her lightly.
Ginny smiled at her fiancé. I love you.
Love you too Gin.
"Ginny what's wrong?" The older Harry asked his wife. She sat gazing off into space as Lily and James watched the day's progression. He moved to sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Someone is going to die," she whispered quietly but it was still loud enough for Lily and James to hear.
"Who?" Lily asked frightened.
"I don't know," Ginny said. "It's definitely someone though. I can't see how or why or even when but it's someone else. Someone close." She turned to look at Harry, tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid that it's going to be someone from the family."
Harry wrapped Ginny in his arms, hiding his face in her hair. She shook and attempted to keep her tears from falling. The two didn't say anything, both afraid of what was to come.
Lily and James sat staring into space. No one wanted to see another die.
"We can only wait and hope that there won't be another death," James said in a sad voice.
The first class that Harry and Ginny had was seventh year. "Harry!" Jamie said happily as she entered the classroom.
"Jamie? What in the world are you doing here?" Harry asked surprised while Ginny ran to hug the older woman.
"My mum is teaching Transfiguration now. She asked me to come join her here."
"It's good to have you here," he said as he hugged her.
Soon the whole class had come in. Ginny sat on the desk, swinging her legs as she waited for Harry to start the class. Harry leaned against the desk beside her.
"Alright everyone this year we won't be doing the dueling."
The whole class erupted into groans of protest at hearing this.
"We know," Ginny said with a smile. "We have decided that as you are all the seventh years you should learn a bit more things. I know the duels were fun but this year is all about your work."
More groans came from the students sitting. "Can anyone inform me about Old Magic?" Harry questioned.
Katie raised her hand, the only one in the room to do so. Harry pointed to her. "Old Magic is a more complex form of the magic that most witches and wizards use today. Back when it was frequently used it took a long spell or chant to do simple things like lighting a fire or cleaning a pan. While today we have much simpler spells those spells were much more useful and quicker even if it took a while to say."
"Good, now who else? Jamie?"
"Well mum says that despite all the simpler spells and magic we use today they are very limited. With Old Magic there were spells to keep women from being raped or abused by someone. There were some that were strong protective spells. They can produce larger shield charms that can last longer than today's spells. But they were always long and many consisted of using runes."
"Why are runes used?" Ginny asked this time.
"Because they give a spell the added magic to complete the spell where our regular magic fails," a Ravenclaw boy said. "Runes are also to help specify the use of the magic. Like if you wanted a fire shield you would use one of the many fire runes."
"That's true but didn't most of the hardest spells in Old Magic not have the runes?" Katie questioned.
"Yes, they don't have runes. Even now with our magic we still use runes to help with the most complex spells," Harry told them. "However, Old Magic was a deeper magic then ours is today. Some of the most complex spells could be done with ease by some witches and wizards. Can anyone tell me some of the most complicated and most helpful spells?"
"There is the spell that prevents someone from going insane if they are hit with the Cruciatus," Jamie said quietly.
"That's true. That spell in fact allows for the human's mind to be barricaded against the curse." Harry told them. "However, the spell may protect their mind it still leaves them in a state of insanity. The only difference is it is a cover. Now without the counter spell the effects take almost sixteen years to wear off. The counter spell must be given by the 'lover of the child'. Now it really depends on if the person had a child or not. If they don't then the counter spell has to be given by a loved one or a family member."
"What else?" Ginny asked as she eyed Harry. So I take it that's what you told Lavender the other day?
Yes, it appears that is what Mum did to Frank and Alice. We agreed to not tell Neville until she is strong enough to perform the spell.
I see, Ginny said slowly.
"Well there is another that puts a permanent tracking spell on any one person," Cho said. "During some of the earlier wars, kings had trouble with tracking their men. While not all kings were wizards they usually had a wizard around. This was before we had to section ourselves off from muggles. The whole point of the spell was to allow them to know the exact position of their men and to know if they are dead or alive. That allowed them to get supplies to them faster and to know how many men they still had alive."
"That's good, next?" Ginny continued.
"The Old Magic also had spells that could hide entire armies," a Slytherin seventh year put in. "While it is not only used for that purpose it was created for that purpose. When the magical wars were being fought they needed ways to hide their own fighters. So wizards and witches came up with the spells to hide their people before the attack would begin. It gave them the element of surprise so that they could easily defeat their opponents."
"That's correct but can anyone tell me the downside to that?" Harry asked.
"If someone was to leave the actual shield then it would allow the other wizards to see what was inside," Katie said again. "Also if they found the spell even a weak stunner could allow the shield to collapse as it was only designed to hide the occupants. Then, if there was an enemy inside the shield, they could cast a spell and kill whoever was in it. It sort of traps all magical energy within it."
"Very good. Now does anyone know what the Bombardous spell is?"
"It is the spell used during the muggle wars to help one side win over the other," a voice said from the door. "If they were trying to attack a castle and could not penetrate it's walls then they would use the spell. It destroyed the walls and buildings within it. That was how Troy fell. A wizard cast the spell on the gate, allowing it to be destroyed without so much as a sound. The spell, although as damaging as it was, was easy to cover up. With a simple spell it would keep the sound from reaching the occupants inside of the area on which was being attacked."
The class turned to see Cedric standing in the doorway. Harry, Ginny, and Cho were all smiling at the older man. "Very good Cedric, I think he earned a cookie, what do you think love?" Ginny asked Harry.
"I believe he has," Harry said with a grin. The whole class laughed. "Everyone knows who this fine man is. So there is no need for any introductions. So Cedric here to take over my class?"
"No, I just came for a visit. I see you are teaching them the finer points of Old Magic."
"It doesn't hurt to have a bit of background information. After all it was Old Magic that saved my life."
"Really?" A few students said together, they turned their attention back on Harry.
He nodded his head. "My Mum used Old Magic to protect me. It was her love for me that kept Voldemort from killing me that day."
"Wow," a Slytherin seventh year said. "That's amazing. I didn't know Old Magic was that powerful."
"It's undermined as being useless because our spells are quicker but less effective. Like I could use a simple lighting spell and it would only illuminate a small area. However, using a spell from Old Magic, I could easily light this entire room with a spell that takes as much energy as Lumos does."
"Now that Cedric is here, I am sure he would love to tell you all the wonderful things he is learning in the Auror academy," Ginny said with a smile. "What do you say Cedric?"
"Might as well," he said as he headed to the front of the class.
The remainder of the class was spent with Cedric telling the class some things about Old Magic and the training in the Auror Academy.
When the bell rang the students were sorry to have to leave. Harry and Ginny promised to talk to Cedric at lunch. In came the second years. Laci and Mary came hurrying into the class.
"Harry, Ginny!" They both said happily.
"Hello Laci, Mary," Ginny said happily to the younger girls. "How did your summer go?"
"Great!" Laci started. "Father let us-"
"-take some extra-"
"-training sessions."
"Mother was very-"
"-pleased when she-"
"-heard that we-"
"-had beaten a-"
"-fifth and sixth-"
"year. She wants to-"
"-thank you for teaching-"
"-us all those spells."
Ginny and Harry shook their heads. "You two sound like Fred and George," Ginny complained.
"We had them first," Mary told them.
"They said we are very good at potions."
"They told us if they ever open their shop that we could work there."
"Oh great," Harry said as he shook his head. "Another set of Fred and George."
"Only these ones are masters of Defense Against the Dark Arts," Ginny put in.
The two girls were beaming by now. "That's true. Say Gin, do you think they are worthy enough to get extra training?"
"I don't know," she said as she surveyed the two. Their eyes had gone wide at the prospect of training with the two most powerful students at the school. "They might be able to."
"Then we can give them extra lessons on Wednesdays. What do you say?"
"Yes!" They said happily as they hugged him. They hurried off to their seats.
So let me get this straight. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays we continue our training with Bill, Tonks, Remus, Sirius, and Fleur. On Wednesdays we now train those two and once a month you leave on Thursday to go to an extra training session. So that leaves us with Thursdays to do paperwork as well as the weekend, when do we get any free time? Ginny asked.
Harry thought it over. I have absolutely no idea love. I wish we didn't have so much to do. But think of it this way. Soon, after next year, we will be traveling the world and having all the time in the world to ourselves.
That's true but I would still love to spend some time with my fiancé!
We will get the time I promise you that.
By the time lunch rolled around the school was in a flurry. Fred and George were instant hits with their students. Everyone loved the two teachers and the students who hadn't had them were more anxious to get to their class. Anna had become a hit with her students as well. While her work was harder than McGonagall's was she made the classes quite interesting. Harry and Ginny were still a favorite among the students. Defense had never been so much fun and they learned more in there then they had in the previous years.
At lunch, Ginny was wrapped around Harry's arm in her snake form. As she didn't use it as often as she did her phoenix form it did come in handy. Harry preferred his phoenix form to that of his snake form. Ginny moved up to wrap around his neck as she surveyed the students.
I wonder where Ron is, Ginny said in Harry's mind.
Harry then turned his attention to the students as well. You know I haven't seen him all day. Do you remember seeing him in class?
No I don't. I wonder where he could be. Wait, I didn't see Hannah either. Hermione said she had seen her when school started, Ron as well.
That's not right. Harry removed the map from his pocket and quietly said the words. The map sprang to life. They both looked over the map and were unable to find a trace of either student in the castle. I don't like this.
Me either. Ron never leaves the school.
I talked to him yesterday too. With as much time as I spend with Ron and Hermione you'd think I would notice something was off.
Harry, you can't be expected to know everything. At least you spend a lot of time with them still.
You spend plenty of time with your friends as well. Harry folded the map and put it back in his pocket. Let's just hope they are good.
"What is it Lucius?" A deep voice said out of the shadows.
"I have bad news My Lord," Lucius said in a quivering voice.
"Then tell me," he snapped.
"M-My wife and son have abandoned me and have taken all my money with them. The Ministry let them take it, all of it."
"Crucio." Lucius fell to the floor screaming in pain. It was a moment before he was released. "Get out of my sight."
Lucius got to his feet and fled the room just as Snape entered the hall. "My Lord," Snape said in a low voice.
"What news do you bring me Bellatrix?"
"My Lord, Potter has gotten 'Snape' removed from his position. There was nothing I could do, no one knew it was coming. He has also gotten Dumbledore pulled as Headmaster of the school."
"This is very disappointing. It seems we have underestimated young Potter and his girlfriend. What other news do you have for me?"
"I have managed to get a hold of his best friend, Ronald Weasley. I also have another young woman who has been in contact with Potter. She has some valuable information."
"You've done well Bellatrix. I want to see these two immediately."
"Yes My Lord," she said as she scurried out of the room to return a few minutes later with two very scared children. Ron had a few cuts across his face and his clothes had dark spots where the blood had seeped into his clothing. Hannah was in much the same condition, only her face was a lot paler than Ron's was.
"You, young woman, tell me your name," Voldemort commanded.
Hannah shook her head, not caring if he hurt her. He hissed at this refusal and cast the Imperious curse.
"Now, tell me your name," his voice was ice cold.
"H-H-Ha-" she stopped and shook her head again. "N-No I won't do it," she said in a low but strong voice as she threw off the Imperious curse.
"No one has ever defied me!" He cried as he got to his feet. "Crucio," he said. The curse shot from his wand and slammed into her chest. Her screams soon filled the room. Ron, who couldn't bear to see her like this, was trying to fight the bonds that held him.
"Leave her alone you bastard!" Ron screamed at Voldemort.
"What did you say to me?" Voldemort hissed. The curse was lifted but Hannah still remained on the floor, panting heavily and shaking slightly.
"I said leave her alone!"
"You dare defy me? Do you know who I am? I am the most powerful wizard to ever walk the face of this earth!"
Ron laughed a cruel, mocking laugh. "You are a stuck up snob, you filthy half-blood! Harry and Ginny are going to kick your ass and you will be killed by the two most powerful wizards ever! You will never beat them. No one can beat them, not even Dumbledore. So go to hell you filthy half-blood bastard!" Ron shot out at him.
"You will pay for that! How dare you accuse me of such things! Avada Kedavra!" Hannah's scream was the only thing that was heard as Ron hit the ground, his eyes lifeless.
Harry sat up immediately, his head throbbing. "RON!" His voice startled Ginny awake, who had been aware of his dream. Tears were already falling from her eyes.
"Ron!" They both cried again as the left their room at a dead run for McGonagall's office. The two didn't even slow down as they got to the gargoyle only waved their hands as it jumped aside.
"Professor McGonagall!" Harry cried as he banged on the door.
"Please open up! You have to open the door!" Ginny cried out in a pleading voice.
"Open up!" Harry cried out in desperation. The door flung open to reveal Professor McGonagall.
"What in the world is going on?" She demanded and took in Ginny's tears and Harry's expressionless eyes.
"It's Ron, he's dead! Voldemort killed him. They have Hannah as well. You have to do something, now!" Harry practically screamed.
"You two go sit and wait in my office, I will do what I can." With that she was gone. The two made their way into the office. They both took their seats, neither of them talking. Ginny continued her relentless crying at the thought of losing her brother. Silent tears fell down Harry's face as the fact that Ron was dead came crashing down around him.
McGonagall appeared behind them, a house elf following closely behind. "Bring these two some blankets and something to drink. I also would like for Miss Granger, and the Weasley twins to be brought here immediately." The house elf nodded and disappeared with a pop. "I'm going to headquarters and we will see what we can do. If Voldemort truly has both of them then I have no idea how we will be getting them back. Stay here," she said softly to the two, who could only nod their head.
It was a moment after she left that Harry moved to grab Ginny's arm. Her mind had closed him out and her crying had not subsided. He got to his feet and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him as she cried into his shoulder.
"I thought you were supposed to prevent this! That was the whole point! Why did he have to die!" Ginny cried out loud. Harry continued to hold her.
"We can't prevent everything," a quiet voice said from near them. Harry turned to see their older selves. The older Ginny had tears streaming down her face, as well as the older Harry. He had his arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders, keeping her close. "Things changed, things that weren't meant to change. Ron wasn't supposed to die, none of our family was," her voice cracked in the end.
Hermione entered the room and gasped. "W-W-what's going on?"
"It's Ron, h-h-he's dead," Ginny said against Harry's chest. Hermione's eyes were wide and tears began to fall from her eyes. Harry beckoned her over and wrapped his arm around her as well. The older two left just before the twins popped in.
They took in the scene instantly. "What's wrong?" George questioned as he took his crying girlfriend in his arms.
"Ron's been killed," Harry said in a broken voice. Ginny was still crying into his chest and he now hid his face in her hair.
Fred collapsed into a chair, his face in his hands as he too began to cry. George had started to cry as well. Luna, who had been woken by one of the elves, entered the room and instantly moved to sit by Fred. He turned to her, crying against her neck as she tried to comfort him.
The only sound that could be heard was crying.
A/N: Dun Dun Dun! Character death! He's dead! Don't kill me please! Alright all this is only chapter fourteen and as I told my betas there will only be Twenty-Two chapters. Guess what chapter I am on? Come on guess! Alright fine don't guess but I just started chapter twenty-one! Twenty is off to the betas and nineteen just got back. So you all have to suffer and wait to see what happens next. I thought you could use an update, I mean its been what...three days. LOL well review, review, review. Thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers I am so glad you like the story so much to read it.
Seritha
