AUTHORS NOTE:
First, I want to say I'm sorry for the very delayed update. I have recently, and out of the blue, been promoted at my job and have been away from my personal computer and when I am at home, I'm 100% dead tired and completely knocked out! I was lucky to be able to go through the draft for this chapter (though I am also sorry that it is short) today as I have been finally able to relax and rested.
Right now, I don't have an update schedule. Hopefully I will have another chapter out before the end of May but I'm not sure.
However, I do want to give you all that have followed this story from the very beginning and those that have left reviews, both good and bad, a big Thank You! It means a lot to me that you love this story or giving it a shot for the sake of the ship. I know this story is dragging a bit but I do hope you still stick around for the foreseeable future.
Please also check out my other Harry Potter fic with a completely different ship.
For now, enjoy the story thus far..
When they made it back to Grimmauld Place from their shopping trip via floo, Harry and Hermione were greeted by the sight of the Weasley Family, with the exception of Ron and Arthur. Sirius and Remus were also there, but the usual smiles and bright eyes were replaced with worried and tense faces.
No one spoke to the pair but Molly looked to be on the verge of tears.
"What happened?" Harry finally asked, not daring to move. A million guesses started to dart across his mind.
Remus was the only one, it seemed, that could even register that the pair had entered the kitchen. "Ron.. Well... he was being controlled by the imperious curse."
Hermione gasped while Harry's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. Though he was thoroughly mad at Ron and their friendship may never be the same again, deep down he cared deeply for they boy that was his first ever friend.
"Who cast it?! " He exclaimed angrily, looking around the room for the red headed boy.
His booming voice seemed to cause everyone to come back to life. Everyone's eyes turned to him but before anyone could speak Molly started crying into a handkerchief.
Harry watched the woman he considered in many ways his surrogate mother sob helplessly, making his anger subsiding slightly. Not knowing what to do, he looked around the room and locked eyes with his god father.
"The magic signature is not traceable nor was it really strong." Sirius answered a bit more calmly than Harry expected. "Remus and I think it might have been done to him at the beginning of last year but the person who cast him has not be around Ron for quite some time."
Harry thought of his best mate's behavior over the course of the last year. Yes, he was still a lazy pig but he used to be love-able. But then his name spit out of the cup and it was nothing but jealousy and anger radiating out of Ron.
As for last year, Harry had been alone most, if not all, the time. But one thing was for sure, his name was put there on purpose and he kept being told that who ever did it wanted to cause him great harm. They never said how but he knew who it had been and he knew they could have had the motive to cast the curse on Ron. 'That person could only have been...'
With utter realization, he looked over at Hermione and locked eyes. She nodded at him, obviously both of them coming to the same conclusion. "It was Barty Crouch Jr." Hermione stated, Harry nodded in agreement.
"What?!" Screamed Molly in utter surprise but also motherly rage.
Sirius, however, slapped the table and nodded. "Of course! He was pretending to be Mad Eye last year."
Harry frowned at the reminder but agreed with his godfather. "Yes, he probably cursed Ron to make sure that I felt as alone and humiliated as possible last year when my name shot out of the cup." Harry explained.
Everyone nodded in agreement, all looking more grim at the realization that one of their own could be forced to do a death eater's bidding.
"How did you find out that he was cursed?" Harry asked suddenly, getting everyone's attention back.
"After what he said in the kitchen about you, we begged Mum to do a diagnostic spell on him." Ginny explained, "We knew something was wrong when Mum stupefied him right after getting his results."
"I see - Wait - He said something about me?" Harry asked, a look of confusion on his face as he looked at Ginny then the twins and finally Hermione. They all looked uncomfortable.
"We thought Hermione told you mate." George said.
"Yeah, she was mighty angry! Called Ron an arse hole and ran off to find you." Fred explained, causing George and Ginny to laugh at the memory.
Harry turned to a blushing Hermione, an amused smile on his lips. "Hermione Granger?" He started in mock surprise, "Using fowl language?"
Everyone in the room chuckled as Hermione was almost deep red. "Oh shut it, Harry!" She finally whined, giving him a playful shove.
Harry let out a laugh before sobering up and turning to Mrs. Weasley, "Where is Ron?"
"He is upstairs with Arthur and Bill, they lifted the curse and are trying to make sure Ron doesn't have any lingering effects of the curse." She explained,
Harry nodded, "Let me know when we can see him. I would like to see if he is still hostile towards me."
Mrs. Weasley agreed and then left the room to check on Ron, the twins and Ginny following quickly behind. Remus and Sirius stayed in their seats, conversing quietly with one another.
Harry, plopped down across from them, feeling even more exhausted than he had that morning. The lack of sleep and the tension from the whole Ron situation was really weighing heavy on him. Hermione sat on his right, still a bit red in the face but also clearly tried and in deep thought. They didn't notice the adults across from them looking worried.
"Harry, you need to be on your toes. With... Him out there, out of commission or not. You will need to be careful." Sirius stated suddenly, concern clear on his face.
"Oh trust me, I will be." Harry answered, running his fingers through his black locks.
Deep down, Harry had no idea what to do except destroy the Horcruxes. That being his main focus, he then asked, "Has Dumbledore sent any word?"
Remus shook his head, "No, but we made sure he was aware of Ron's condition."
"You might want to send word to him that we have destroyed two other... items." Harry explained, making sure to use subtle words just in case of spying ears.
Sirius and Remus looked very surprised.
"The locket?" Sirius asked in almost a whisper.
"Gone." Hermione stated.
"There was another?" Remus asked
"Yes, it was a cup owned by Helga Hufflepuff." Harry explained, turning to look at the fire place, flames alight. "I suspect he has a few more. Maybe one that has something to do with Ravenclaw." Harry mused.
The others stared at him, clearly wanting to know what else was going through his mind. "He is going to get weaker, he will become desperate." He stated, turning to look at them. "We need to destroy all of them and quickly. It's our only hope in really defeating him."
They all nodded, clearly agreeing with Harry before falling silent once more.
-111-
"Sirius," Harry turned his attention to his godfather. "You seemed off this morning. Did something happen?" It had been bugging him all day that he could not figure out what was going on with his godfather. It seemed that he had aged overnight.
Sirius stared over at Harry, the same worried look from that morning taking over his features. He took a big gulp from his already cold tea before answering him.
"I heard you... last night."
Harry tensed up.
He had set up the glamour charms back after they left the ice cream parlor and was completely sure he was able to hide his distress and exhaustion from everyone.
"Sirius... I'm fine. Just a bad dream is all." Harry looked at the wall behind Sirius and lied, trying to make it seem that it was a one time thing but his godfather wasn't having it.
"Harry James Potter," His voice was firm, unwavering. "What would your parents think? What good could be their sacrifice if you died that night? You idiot... " The old prankster gone, replaced by an older upset man.
Remus and Hermione stiffened, looking over at Harry.
His godfather words both surprised and angered Harry. He gave him a cold, deadly, but leveled glare.
Remus seeming to sense the tension, knowing full well how Harry's anger can leave a wound, tried to speak up but Harry was quicker.
"Hermione, head up to my room. I will be up there in a couple minutes."
Hermione was stunned by the sudden command and was about to argue but she felt a surge of magic compelling her to keep from disobeying. So she got up and looking over she could not help the clipped reply that fell from her lips.
"As you wish, my Lord."
Harry internally winced as he heard her leave the room, knowing he stepped over a line by commanding Hermione but he did not want her there for another one of his outbursts.
Once he heard the door to the sitting room click close, he was up on his feet.
"HOW DARE YOU?!" He spat, his magic suddenly seeping out and enveloping the room. Remus and Sirius seemed to be glued to their seats both from fear and awe.
"I KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO KEEP MY ALIVE! I'M NOT AN IDIOT!" Harry shouted at them. "BUT YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBLILTY I HAVE ON MY SHOULDERS!"
The walls in the room were shaking, the fire place was extinguished, and the windows in the room shattered. Harry's magic was powerful and suffocating. Harry's voice now booming around the room.
"I COULD UNDERSTAND BEING LECTURED AS A CHILD IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE AND TAKING CARE OF ME AS AN INFANT, BLACK." He stated loudly, giving Sirius a look of pain and hatred, "BUT YOU MADE YOUR BED WHEN YOU WENT AFTER PETTIGREW. SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE."
With that, Harry's magic seemed to seep back into himself. He turned on his heel, and left Remus and Sirius in the kitchen, looking like they been through a roller coaster ride a million of times over.
"You fucked up bad." Was all that Remus was able to utter.
-111-