All characters are property of JK Rowling and I do not make a profit from this story.
Beta: Roman's Sundial
Chapter Thirty-Six: Awake
Harry Potter – Present Day
March 15, 2000
It wasn't very difficult for Harry to lift Ginny's light unconscious body and carry her down the stairs of Grimmauld Place. Once he reached the landing, he covered her with his invisibility cloak and apparated to his flat where he found Ron waiting for him. "What do you've got there?" Ron asked, as he watched Harry struggle through his front door.
"Your sister," Harry replied, as he finally made his way in and lightly placed Ginny on the couch.
"Why did you bring her here?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"Because we are going to wake her up."
"You know how?" Ron gasped.
Harry nodded. "I think so. Remember the Veil Sirius fell through? I think that's where they are. We need to bring their unconscious forms there and mutter the countercurse and, if I'm correct, it should wake them up."
"Brilliant, Harry! But how are we going to get everyone there?"
"That's the hard part. I figured that we would start with Ginny since she is smaller than the rest, and try to smuggle her in somehow."
"But the Veil is in the Department of Mysteries; How are we going to get in?"
"Boyd used to let me in to visit the Veil, remember? I know it's been awhile, but I'm hoping he will let me in again."
"Okay, so how do we get her into the Ministry?"
"I don't know," Harry replied.
"What if we transfigure her?" offered Ron.
"What?"
"Remember when the fake Moody transfigured Crouch into a bone? What if we transfigure Ginny into something small? Then you can smuggle her into the Ministry in your pocket!"
"I can barely transfigure objects; I wouldn't dare try it on Ginny."
"Well, I'm definitely rubbish at it."
"If we wait for Hermione then, maybe she can do it."
"Harry, we are this close to waking up my sister; I don't want to wait."
"Nor do I, Ron, but I'm not going to risk something happening to her!"
"So, transfigure me, then, as a test run."
"No," Harry replied firmly.
"Oh, go on, Harry! I know you can do it, you just never give yourself enough credit. Now hurry and transfigure me already so that you can do it to Ginny next." Harry bit his lip for a moment but then pulled out his wand. He knew if he thought for too long, he would no longer have the nerve to do it. Pointing his wand at Ron, and thinking back to a lesson in his second year, Harry quietly muttered "Vera Verto" and watched Ron change into a chalice. Taking another deep breath, Harry muttered the countercurse, and there stood Ron again.
"Ron!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"It worked!" Ron said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Quickly then, do it to Ginny and let's get going!" Once Ginny was a chalice and tucked safely into Harry's robe, the pair apparated to the Ministry and started to walk towards the Department of Mysteries.
"It's evening now," Harry whispered to Ron as they approached the lifts. "We really shouldn't run into too many people." They did, however, run into a witch on the lift whom they both despised.
"Potter, Weasley, what are you doing here?" came the perky voice of Rita Skeeter.
"We work here too, you know," answered Ron.
"Yes, but after hours? I'm curious to know what you are working on at this time of the evening!"
"We could ask the same about you," Harry said to her.
"The news never sleeps, dear! Anyway, I'm on my way up to welcome the newest employee! Or, rather, a returning employee. It's so exciting, isn't it?"
"If you're talking about Umbridge…" Ron started.
"Well, of course! This is going to make such a wonderful story! Well, I must be off, ta ta!"
"The whole bloody world is going to know Umbridge is back now," Ron said to Harry once Rita was out of ear shot.
"Good, maybe they can help stop her from whatever it is that she's planning. Come on, let's get down there before Boyd leaves." The pair hurriedly made their way to the large door that lead to the Department, when they came face to face with an old, round, wizard. "Boyd!" Harry said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Potter!" the wizard named Boyd said cheerfully. "And Weasley, isn't it? Aren't you one of Arthur's boys?"
"Yeah," said Ron, slightly disgruntled that he wasn't as recognized as Harry.
"What are you two doing down here?" Boyd asked, looking at Harry for a response.
"I wanted to see my Godfather's resting place," Harry said quickly. "I, uh, miss him." It wasn't a lie; Harry missed Sirius everyday, but it wasn't his purpose for being here today.
"Oh, I thought you were done grieving, Potter; you haven't come for a visit in quite some time."
"I've been busy with all this Grindelwald stuff," Harry replied.
"Ah, yes, of course. You see, Potter, with the recent break in and everything, though, I don't think I can let you in-"
"Please!" Harry interjected desperately. "It's like you've said, I haven't visited in quite some time and I really need to talk to him. I know he can't reply, but those whispers comfort me…" Harry felt stupid talking about emotions and things that he normally would never say, but his love for Ginny was encouraging him to go on.
"I, well, oh, alright, Potter, but you mustn't tell a soul! And I can't let anyone else come," he added, looking at Ron.
"I'll wait out here," Ron said.
"I don't know," Boyd said, scratching his head. "It might look suspicious having someone hang around out here…"
"Ron has work to do in our office anyway, don't you Ron? Perhaps I can meet you there when I'm done."
"What? Yeah, alright," said Ron, catching on. "See you soon."
"Thanks a lot, Boyd," said Harry, following him into the Department once Ron had headed back upstairs.
"No problem, but don't be telling anyone!"
"No, of course not!" They entered the room together that had the Veil, and Harry immediately started his descent towards it.
"I'll give you a half hour then, Potter," Boyd called out to him as he closed the door and left Harry alone with the Veil. Once Harry had reached it, he took the chalice out of his pocket and placed it carefully on the dais. Being extra careful that it wouldn't get too close to the Veil, Harry muttered the counter-curse, and Ginny was laying in place of the chalice. Harry took a few moments and thought of Sirius before he did anything else.
"Sirius," he said quietly, talking to the veil. "I know that you're in there. Help me wake up Ginny and the others; please! I promise I will find a way to get you out too." He listened to the whispers for awhile, trying to make out the voices. He strained his ears to try and pick out Ginny's voice, or George, or Remus, or Sirius, but all he heard were indistinguishable faint whispers. Sighing, Harry took out his wand and aimed it at Ginny. Fear was taking over his body, but he knew what he had to do. Steadying his voice, he pointed his wand at her, and as clear and precise as he could muster, said "Arbadacarba!" He waited impatiently for something to happen. He thought he saw the Veil flicker a little faster in the invisible wind than usual, but after a few moments of nothing, Harry realized that it was just his imagination. Defeated, Harry sunk to his knees and placed his head in his hands. There was nothing else he could have done; has he really lost Ginny forever? His eyes stung as he pushed on them, but he didn't stop the tears from leaking out.
"Harry?"
He could hear her voice so vividly in his thoughts, as if she were right beside him…
"Harry…"
"Stop!" he screamed out loud. Hearing her voice was painful and he didn't want to hear it anymore. He jumped when he felt something cold touch his face. He looked up and saw the most beautiful witch he had ever met in his life. "G-Ginny?" he stammered, realizing who it was. "GINNY?"
"Yes," she whispered, smiling from ear to ear. They collapsed into each other's arms and embraced for a very long time. After what felt like forever, Harry pulled away.
"It's really you?" he asked her.
"It's really me," she replied, still smiling. "You did it, Harry!"
Laughing, since he didn't know what else to do, he grabbed her once more and pulled her to her feet. "Can you stand? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she said.
"Okay, then I need you under the cloak for now. Let me get you out of here and we can talk once it's safe, okay?" She nodded, but before she allowed him to throw his invisibility cloak over her, she grabbed his face and kissed him for what felt like hours.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that," she said, as she allowed him to put the cloak over her, and started to follow him out of the room.
Ginny Weasley – Present Day
March 15, 2000
Ginny, Harry, and Ron left the Ministry quietly, and apparated to Grimmauld Place for the Order meeting that was scheduled for that night. The three of them had yet a chance to talk (other than a hug from her brother and a "welcome back"), when they arrived on the front step of Headquarters.
"It sounds like the meeting has already started," Ron whispered.
"You two go on in," Ginny whispered back. "I'll wander in soon enough." Laughing, Harry and Ron made their way into the meeting and closed the door. Ginny hung back for awhile trying to listen, but the door muffled the sound. Taking a very deep breath, Ginny pushed open the door and walked in. "Sorry I'm late," she said casually.
"That's alright, Ginny, dear," replied Molly, looking back to Kingsley who was speaking to the group. As if it had just dawned on her, Molly slowly turned her head back towards her daughter, her jaw-dropped. "Ginny!" she screeched, shoving people out of the way and grasping her daughter, tears pouring down her face. "My darling daughter! Is it really you?"
"Yes, Mum, it's me," she said laughing, happy to see her family again. Once all the tears and hugs were over, it was time for them to start answering the thousands of questions being thrown at them. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and lead her to the front of the group.
"Kingsley, you can take a seat with the others," Harry said, talking to the man who was standing at the head of the room as if leading the meeting.
"I think I'm fine right here, Mr. Potter," he said back to him.
"Actually, the Order has no leader, remember? So you can join the others and sit down; it is my turn to speak."
"Harry!" said Molly Weasley, taken aback. "That's the Minister of Magic that you are speaking to!"
"Not in here, Molly. Here, he is Kingsley Shacklebolt, and there is no leader here. You may take your seat now, Kingsley." Ginny looked at Harry curiously, but new better than to say anything at that point. What had happened while she was gone? Kingsley reluctantly took a seat, and Harry faced the group of people. "Hermione figured out how to properly use the counter-curse for Abracadabra. With Ron's help, we tried it on Ginny first and worked, and now we are going to wake up everyone else." At once, several questions were asked.
"How did Hermione figure it out?"
"What were we doing wrong?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Will it work on the muggle?"
Harry held up his hands to get the room to settle down. "I know you all have plenty of questions, but it is better that very few people know how the spell works. That way, we can potentially eliminate the spell for good."
"But that sounds like you are making a decision for the group, Potter. I thought you just said that there were no leaders here?" Kingsley's tone was defiant. Harry, however, didn't seem to mind at all.
"I have decided to withhold what I know; that isn't making a decision for the group."
"I disagree."
"You do, do you? A pity that it doesn't matter," spat Hermione.
"If I may," Arthur interjected, before Kingsley could respond. "Harry is right in saying that nobody leads the Order. Kingsley and Harry are often at the front speaking since they know more of what happens at the Ministry, but that does not make either of them in charge. We are a team here, and all need to behave like one if we are going to succeed. Now, I agree that the way Ginny has been awoken should be kept a secret. A secret remains a secret when it is not spread. However, since nobody leads here, I think that the group should vote."
"Well, I am with Potter as well," said Minerva.
"As am I," Ginny added.
"Same here, Harry has always lead us the right way," said Hagrid confidently. Everyone, including Helen, had agreed that Harry should not reveal what he knew.
"Very well," said Kingsley. "Shall we continue on, then?"
"We can. I will be waking up the others soon; Remus and Tonks will need plenty of explaining to them."
"They can come to the Burrow; that's where Teddy is, after all, and Arthur and I can explain it all," said Molly.
"Very good," said Kingsley, taking over once more. "Andromeda will be released from St. Mungo's tomorrow as well, who can take care of her?"
"If she comes here to Grimmauld Place, I can stay and tend to her," offered Hestia Jones.
"Wonderful," replied Kingsley. "I suppose that sums up today's meeting," Kingsley concluded, but Hermione cut him off.
"Actually, that's your opinion, but since you don't lead, I think you should have a seat again and let others speak now." She gave him a wicked smile and turned back to the group. "Now, we know Grindelwald hasn't surfaced as of yet, but his followers are doing plenty of damage. Does anyone have any leads on who they are yet?" The group discussed Grindelwald and his followers for the remaining of the hour before finally parting. Ginny walked over to Harry and gave him a kiss.
"I'm going to the Burrow to spend some time with my family," she said to him. "They'll probably put me back under if I don't!"
Harry laughed. "Can I come with you?" he asked her. "Only, I think you're going to need my help lugging everything over."
"Lugging what?" she asked him, confused.
"You're moving into my flat with me," he said matter of factly. "We have to bring your things, don't we?" Ginny tiptoed and gave him yet another kiss; it felt great to be back.
Hermione Granger – Present Day
March 23, 2000
"What do you mean four months? My son cannot sit in Azkaban for four months!" Hermione was at Malfoy Manor explaining to Narcissa what she had found out. It turned out that the trial that Malfoy was entitled to was not scheduled until the sixth of July. IT was common for these trials to take about two months before being scheduled, but four months was almost unheard of.
"I agree with you, Mrs. Malfoy. Four months is much too long and I will do whatever it takes to get him out much more quickly."
"This is your fault, you silly girl. Had you not agreed to drag him around with you-"
"Then he would have been in Azkaban much earlier than now. Now, will you listen to me or should I just go?" Narcissa folded her arms across her chest but listened nonetheless. "I've read everything that there is on this matter, and there is something Draco can do, but it is literally our only option."
"And what is it?"
"If the prisoner or next of kin fills out a trial application, then the trial date will be moved to one month's time, as opposed to four."
"One month is still way too long!"
"It's better than four, isn't it?"
"I suppose you're right. So, have Draco fill it out then."
"Well, see, that's the thing. Draco doesn't know about this, so he isn't going to know that he needs to fill it out, and he isn't allowed visitors either."
"But we were allowed to visit Lucius!"
"That was when Lucius was going to be administered the Dementor's Kiss. Ever since that was retracted, you haven't been able to visit him, have you?"
Narcissa thought for a moment before responding. "Well, I am his next of kin, so I will complete it then."
Hermione frowned. "You are currently under watch by the Ministry and have yet to be released of your charges."
"So?"
"So, you aren't allowed to fill it out on his behalf."
"That's preposterous!"
"I do not make the rules!"
"So then what do you suggest, Ms. Granger? Draco has no wife or child; why would you come here and provide me with options that cannot work?"
"Because there is a way," she said slowly. "It's the only way I can possibly think of, but I'm certain it will work."
"Well? What is it?!"
"I can write it on his behalf as his next of kin."
"But you aren't… Do not tell me that you and Draco have wed?"
"No, we have not; we aren't even together, but the Ministry doesn't know that. We can pretend that we are engaged, and since engagements are done through a magical ritual that forces you to marry the other, it counts as next of kin."
"But that would mean that you must marry my son! How do you expect me to accept that?"
"Because it gets your son out of Azkaban, that's how! But don't you worry, since we haven't actually done the ritual, I won't actually have to marry him."
"Won't the Ministry know?"
"They cannot prove if a ritual was done; usually the proof comes when a witch or wizard attempts to wed someone else, because then the binding spell breaks and causes death to that person. Since Draco and I haven't actually gone through with it, there is no bond to break. All we have to do is say that we had people witness our ritual. So you, Harry, Ron… Anyone that we can trust that would say that we did it."
"I cannot see the Ministry simply accepting a witch or wizard's word; otherwise everyone would be doing it."
"Well, there is one thing that they can prove," Hermione said.
"Of course, and that would be?"
"An engagement ring is commonly given to the witch. There is a spell that they can cast over the ring that tells them who gave the witch that ring. So as long as I wear a ring that was given to me by Draco himself, this plan will work."
"I don't suppose you have a ring from him?"
"No, I don't." The look on Narcissa's face was both pleasure and frustration. "But I do have this," Hermione said, pulling out the crystal rose. "He gave this to me for Christmas; if I can transfigure it into a ring, then I think it will work." Narcissa reached out for the rose and Hermione reluctantly gave it to her.
After a moment of examining it, Narcissa spoke. "My son really does have fine taste in crystals." Then, she waved her wand a few times around the rose and turned it into a beautiful crystal ring. "I've included the Malfoy sigil on the top of it; it makes it more authentic."
"Thank you," said Hermione, slipping the ring onto her fourth finger of her left hand.
Narcissa nodded to her. "Free my son, Ms. Granger."
Sirius Black – The Past
August 12, 1978
Sirius stumbled (quite literally as he had too much firewhisky) into the backyard of his uncle's very large house. Bottle still in hand, he chugged back its contents before discarding the bottle noisily in a nearby bush. He had just left the intimate wedding of James Potter and Lily Evans, or rather, Lily Potter now. He had never thought that any of his best friends would get married. Remus was a werewolf, and too careful to ever let a woman near him, Peter was too much of a coward to even speak to a woman, and James was, well, James. Sure, he had chased Lily all through school, but never had Sirius dreamed that Lily would finally give in and that James would settle down and marry her. Not that Sirius wasn't happy for them of course; it was actually kind of nice to see a love blossom and grow during the hideous war that was currently going on. Listen to him, love blossoming, it definitely must be the firewhisky, he chuckled to himself. He stopped and peered through the bushes into the very busy garden. Sirius had not expected that many people to turn up, but of course, nobody said no to Walburga Black. He had received his mother's letter last week, telling him that his engagement ceremony to a pureblood witch was to be today. Of course, Sirius had no intentions of going through with it, but the too many bottles of firewhisky that he consumed had made him curious to see who the ugly wench was. He peered through the bushes again towards the altar, but nobody was there. "Of course, you idiot," Sirius said loudly to himself. "She isn't supposed to come out until the ceremony."
"That's right, Sirius, so get inside so that we may begin!"
"Mum!" Sirius froze; he had no intentions on being seen. His plan was to simply peer at the witch for a bit of comic relief, not to actually go through with the ceremony. "I'm not doing it," he finally said, standing up tall, despite his drunken stupor.
"Oh yes you are, Sirius Black! You have brought enough shame on this family as it is, and as heir to our House, you will marry this witch!"
Sirius laughed. "Mother, if you actually think I am going through with this farce…"
"I know you are. Otherwise, the entire Potter family, including that new mudblood bride of his - oh yes, I know about the wedding - will all die."
"Die? Are you admitting to murder, Mother?"
"Not yet I am not, unless you force my hand, Sirius. Now, get in there, or mark my words, Regulus and his friends will be paying a visit to the Potter's house." Sirius did not call his mother's bluff; he knew all too well what Regulus and his Death Eater friends were capable of, and the Potters were family to Sirius; he was not about to put any of their lives in jeopardy. He nodded curtly to his mother. "Good, now get inside there; we will be starting shortly." Sirius didn't say anything as he wandered inside the backyard enclosure. He saw his uncle Abraxas having a drink at a nearby table, and so he made his way towards him.
"Hello, uncle!"
"Sirius!" said Abraxas, choking on the sip that he just took. "What on earth are you doing here?"
"It is my engagement party, isn't it?" Sirius asked, taking his uncle's glass from him and chugging it down.
"Well, yes, but I didn't expect you to show up!"
"Didn't plan on it, but I also didn't want dear old Mum to kill my friends either."
"You're going through with it, then?"
"The engagement I am, but not the marriage."
"But you must! Surely you know how these rituals work?"
"If I'm engaged to the witch, I cannot marry another, otherwise I die. So what? I have no intentions of marrying anyone."
"You also cannot father a child or the spell binding you to your fiancée will kill you as well."
"I have no need for children, so I do not see a problem there either."
"So, you plan on tying yourself to a witch, putting these restrictions on yourself, and spending the rest of your life alone?"
"I won't be alone, uncle, I just won't be married or have kids. I'll still have my way with as many witches as I want!"
"Sirius, if you father one by mistake…"
"Not to worry, uncle!" replied Sirius, grabbing another drink from a nearby table. "I conduct the contraceptive charms myself, and I've become quite the expert."
"I don't like it, Sirius."
"What other choice do I have? I can't let the Potter's die!"
"No, you can't, and I don't suppose you'll just marry the witch then, and make everyone happy?"
"Everyone except myself, uncle. Now tell me, who is this ugly wench I'm to be engaged to, anyway? Pureblood of course?"
"Aye, twenty generations at least."
"I'm surprised she isn't from the Sacred Twenty-Eight."
"Of course, that's what your mother would prefer, but they all get taken as soon as they can walk and talk, don't they?"
"So this witch is…?"
"She lives in Macedonia, but her family is originally from here. They wanted their children to attend Durmstrang, so when she was born, her parents moved there so that they could be within the Durmstrang region."
"Typical pureblood," Sirius grumbled. "Does this wench have a name?"
"I believe her name is Iris."
Sirius snorted. "Iris and Sirius; that's not comical at all!"
"Iris Dartmouth," Abraxas finished, laughing a little at his nephew. "Eldest child to Gregory and Ophelia Dartmouth."
"Hopefully her siblings have more luck than she does," Sirius replied. "She'll be engaged but never married and forever alone." Sirius drained the last of his drink. "Well, best go ruin her life now. Enjoy the show, uncle!"
Author's Notes: Welcome back Ginny! Now that she is awake, she has a large storyline coming up!
To reply to a review: You'll shortly find out what house Grindelwald has been talking about (if you haven't figured it out already!) He's been on the back burner right now but he will be coming back strong shortly. Even though you haven't heard much about him right now, he and his followers have been actively attacking.
The next chapter will have a new perspective scene, as well you'll start to understand where Narcissa's head is at. Is she being nice to Hermione only because she is trying to help Draco? Did she support the Death Eaters? I start to put her character into perspective in the next chapter. There will also be an Umbridge scene. (Gotta start bringing that old bag into the story!)
Please keep reviewing; I enjoy reading them! Thanks as always!